ORANGE PARK – HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital hosted its annual NICU Reunion on Saturday, Sept. 24., an event where the hospital’s littlest survivors joined together to celebrate life, reunite …
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ORANGE PARK – HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital hosted its annual NICU Reunion on Saturday, Sept. 24., an event where the hospital’s littlest survivors joined together to celebrate life, reunite with caregivers and connect with other families. NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) caregivers look forward to this event all year, in anticipation to reunite with the previously very tiny patients they cared for during their first days, and in some cases weeks of life.
The day was filled with activities for the children including fire trucks tours, a NICU room exploration station allowing the children to see the tiny diapers, bottles, and the equipment needed to care for them in the NICU, face painting, games, and a ceremony where families shared their stories. The children and staff dressed in their favorite superhero costumes to honor the event’s theme – NICU graduates were the superheroes.
“The is absolutely my favorite day of the year. We love getting a chance to check in with all of the families and hear how everyone is doing,” said Suzanne Jones, Director of Women and Children’s Services at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital. “The event brings so much joy to our staff and gives parents a chance to connect with others in the area that have gone through a similar experience.”
A stay in the NICU can be caused by various reasons including prematurity, respiratory distress, infection, low blood sugar, and other conditions in both the mother and newborn. Orange Park Hospital’s level II NICU cares for babies born as early as 32 weeks or 1,000 grams, as well as babies born with critical illness, at all gestational ages. The hospital will be transitioning to a level III NICU next year – making them the only NICU of that level in Clay County.
“We have families that come back year after year for this reunion and we are so thankful to be back together in person this year,” said Jones. Throughout the pandemic, the hospital hosted the special event virtually through Facebook. It was its sixth year hosting the event.