No Policy
NICU 27
First outfit
Day 76 - 79
Gestation 34 weeks
There have been a spike in covid cases in Auckland even with the high level lockdowns.
Auckland city had a case in the NICU unit, which was our home for around 9 weeks. We have friends still there, the news is they have ALL been locked out if the unit for 48 hours. That’s right, one Mum had covid in the unit and every single parent plus some staff have been locked out for 2 days. It’s absolutely heartbreaking, it’s so hard to leave them at night just to sleep at home and now to be told you can’t come in at all even is babies are having surgeries or needing breastfeeding. They don’t even know how to drop off milk yet.
And another one even closer to us, there is a case of a dad and baby in NSH maternity ward, that is one door away from us in SCBU.
There is only set of parents currently in the SCBU who was on maternity ward at the same time as the positive covid case.
Apparently maternity ward is testing people but they cannot force everyone to get a test. People are still moving freely throughout the ward which is frustrating. I missed two elevators because I didn’t want to get in with people who came out of maternity ward. They don’t seem to care, it’s like business as usual, as if there wasn’t even a case there.
I spoke to the charge nurse and couldn’t get any clear answers on their policy regarding locations of interest. It was a really frustrating chat. After what happened at Auckland NICU I don’t understand why they wouldn’t proceed with caution. The case was in the unit a door away and we are a special care baby unit. I also don’t understand how nearly two years on and there isn’t a clear policy for this.
There are 12 babies here, 24 parents and only 2 that have been in a location with confirmed cases. It seems like a no brainer to me. They should have to produce negative covid test before returning to the unit.
I had a chat with a Mum friend there, we will call her Mum R and she was in complete agreement as well as rattled. She voiced herself to the same charge nurse and somehow got a clear answer. They will not be permitted to return until having a negative test.
Kayden had a good day and cracked the 2kg mark!
He is still on a flow of 8 litres and will stay there a while. They don’t want to push him to hard and have him back step. His hemoglobin is low but is on the border. They are giving him a chance to self produce instead of jumping to another blood transfusion.
The next day and both, let’s call them, location parents are in the unit. I’m assuming they’ve been tested and cleared. They’re doing their thing saying hi to bubs and changing nappies when the nurse pops around the side. She asks the dad if he is ready for his test, um excuse me? Why is he in here if he hasn’t done a test!
I sat with my thoughts all of a minute before thinking um, nah I’ve come this far why would I be quiet now.
Dad says he did a test in the community but it hasn’t come back. Well if it hasn’t come back negative yet why are you in here. He is avoiding eye contact, looking down, obviously knows it’s wrong. He says he got a negative test on the Saturday, I said but the case was Sunday, you need a new test. It’s all immensely awkward but it’s a really important issue and needs to be addressed. Frankly because they live together neither should be in the SPECIAL CARE BABY UNIT until both produce a negative test. This is a policy failure and how absurd in the SPECIAL CARE BABY UNIT. I hope you guys are reading this capitals as intended.
Anyways, he goes to do his test and waits in the lounge, which is still in the…SPECIAL CARE BABY UNIT.
Two parents isolating for a few days doesn’t compare to the risk of exposing all the babies, their parents, children at home, the staff and their families. What fuckery, why did I have to say something honestly it’s not my job. It is however my job to protect Kayden and Sylvie, and that is worth a thousand awkward moments.
I download again with the same Mum R from yesterday, who then goes on to sanitise the lounge couch because she’s a champion. She’s been a fighter in her journey too and unfortunately is now feeling like she’s the “difficult Mum”. Which is so hard to hear, she’s loosing the strength to keep fighting. Makes me worry about my own fight, I fear that judgement, I don’t want to come in everyday to a bad vibe.
When we were in NICU we were actually praised twice by doctors for being such active parents. They said parents like us, who ask questions, who push the reasons and put in the hours have better outcomes.
I asked for the charge nurse for a chat but no one came around.