The Ronald McDonald Charity House celebrated the start of construction on its new Family Room at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences‘ (UAMS) Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Opening in December, this room will be the first of its kind in Arkansas. The new Family Room will allow four families to stay overnight next door to the NICU where their infants are being cared for. According to Janelle Mason, executive director of RMCH of Arkansas, “The Ronald McDonald Family Room will allow parents to retreat from their baby’s NICU room to a quiet space, so they can be in the best position to make vital decisions and be present, both mentally and physically for their babies.”
The impetus for this new development was a report from a 2017-18 Practicum Team from the Clinton School of Public Service, which found that out of the 909 NICU babies in 2017, more than 50 percent of the families lived more than 25 miles away from the hospital, creating travel complications and unnecessary difficulties. Compounding this issue, the Practicum Team also found that since children younger than 18 are not allowed to stay overnight at the hospital, parents with sick newborns were often forced to choose between staying at UAMS with their infant, or taking care of their other children at home. This immediate need for better facilities inspired the RMCH board of directors to approve the building of this new Family Room.
The current accommodations for parents in the NICU consist of six bedrooms, each with a single twin bed and communal bathrooms. After renovation, the RMCH Family Room will create a warm, inviting space for families, allowing parents and their children to choose from one of the four rooms available while their newborn family member is taken care of down the hall.
READ MORE: The State of Education of Arkansas