By Daily Press staff
In the joy of pregnancy, few expectant parents anticipate a premature delivery and subsequent stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. For Mary and John Covert of Santa Monica, the early arrival of twins Alicia and Amy was unexpected and traumatic.
“There was no sign that the twins would be premature,” said Mary Covert who delivered her twins at Saint John’s Health Center almost 15 weeks before her due date. “I had chosen Saint John’s because of the nursing staff, and I liked that it was a small hospital. We ended up spending 15 weeks in the NICU, and my children are healthy, strong and vibrant because of the commitment and skill of the doctors and nurses.”
With the opening of the new inpatient pavilion this fall, parents like John and Mary will continue to have access to the latest in neonatal care. Relocated to the fourth floor of the pavilion, alongside all other women/maternal and child health services, the Saint John’s NICU will provide medical and nursing support in a dedicated environment. The NICU in the new facility is able to care for up to six infants at any time.
The NICU also is configured for flexibility in the event an infant needs immediate emergency care, hospital officials said. Portable ventilators, monitors and crash carts are instantly available, and can be clustered around an infant’s bed in a matter of seconds.
Alicia and Amy Covert needed to stay in the hospital’s NICU for several weeks before they could go home.
“Those were hard weeks,” said John Covert. “We learned so much. We were fortunate that we live close to the hospital, so one of us could be with the babies at all times.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 13, 2004. Read the original PDF.