Great Bend Regional Hospital, a full-service 33-bed hospital in Great Bend, Kansas, recently improved the security of its Women & Children’s Center by investing in a new magnetic door lock system. Effective September 1, 2016, visitors to the Women & Children’s Center will use a courtesy phone outside the unit entrance so that a member of the staff can release the door lock system and assist guests in finding the patient they wish to visit.
“Since the Women and Children’s Center opened in 2009, we have always had security cameras monitoring the unit as well as utilizing tracking bracelets on each baby that alert our staff if the baby nears an exit,” says Stephanie Buchholz-Jones, Unit Supervisor. “Securing the doors to our department is just one more way we can ensure the safety and privacy of all our patients, but especially the new mothers and their babies.”
As a High Five Hospital, the Women & Children’s Center does everything possible to promote breastfeeding for maternity patients through skin-to-skin time during the Golden Hours after birth, delayed bathing, breastfeeding assistance from all nursing staff, and offering specialized equipment to promote natural birth.
“The big picture is that Great Bend Regional Hospital is maintaining our commitment to providing the best possible patient experience while they are under our care,” says Adina Gregory, COO. “Beefing up our security systems is just one more way we can ensure that their experience is positive and memorable for everyone involved.”
The Women & Children’s Center delivers approximately 40 babies each month, and offers four labor and delivery rooms with jetted tubs, centralized fetal monitors, and birthing equipment such as the Millard Birthing Peanuts. There are four additional recovery rooms, all of which are private suites.
The hospital serves on the Central Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition, and has been recognized by Blue Cross Blue Shield as a Blue Distinction + Center for Maternity Care.
Great Bend Regional Hospital facilitates childbirth education classes four times per year, and partners with LAACT to offer breastfeeding classes for new mothers 6-8 times per year. Learn more at www.gbregional.com.