LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Giving care to the region\u2019s smallest patients requires a lot of effort and time.<\/p>\n
In order to help achieve that goal, Covenant Children\u2019s is opening its new small baby neonatal intensive care unit.<\/p>\n
Courtney McPherson, Covenant Children\u2019s NICU nurse manager, says this space, intended for babies born before 30 weeks, will go a long way in their development.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost premature babies definitely are still growing and their brains are growing, everything about them is still growing,\u201d McPherson said, \u201cso it\u2019s really important for their brain to protect their brain.\u201d<\/p>\n
This space you see was constructed for the needs of these patients. Along with nine additional NICU beds, it offers lower lighting and noise levels, enhanced infection control, and the ability to minimize disturbances from inside the hospital.<\/p>\n
Thomas Edrington, the hospital\u2019s design construction manager, helped make this space what it is today, and it was a special build for him since his child was a NICU patient in 2024.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very hard and different cause you kind of have a hopeless feeling of just sitting there waiting,\u201d Edrington said, \u201cso it is really special to get to work on it and seeing it from both sides. It\u2019s one thing to see it as a staff member from here, but to also seeing it from the parent\u2019s standpoint and how you put that into play as you work on the project.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than 600 patients are served at Covenant Children\u2019s NICU every year, so being able to provide even more opportunities to help families will allow workers to continue bringing the best support possible to those who need it most.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe serve a really large population of eastern New Mexico and west Texas,\u201d McPherson said, \u201cand as we\u2019ve been outgrowing our space, we\u2019re limited sometimes on what patients we can take. This allows us to continue to care of all of those babies in the region.\u201d<\/p>\n
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