Tennova Keeping Moms and Babies Safe During the Pandemic
3/15/2021
Tennova Healthcare – Cleveland l welcomed over 900 newborns in 2020 and is prepared to deliver more this year
Cleveland, TN 3/13/2021 – The delivery of babies has been a happy event for the labor and delivery team at Tennova Healthcare - Cleveland over the past year. Hundreds of infants have taken their first breath at the hospital and been a welcome sight in the midst of the global pandemic.
While the virus has changed many things in the world – the hospital’s childbirth center and nursery are a pleasant constant, located in a separate, enclosed area to provide specialized care and services. A dedicated team of nurses and obstetricians work exclusively with the moms and babies through delivery and post-partum care.
“The joy of bringing a new life into the world is a wonderful constant and it’s a privilege to support the moms and babies who are counting on us,” said Cheryl Buchwalter, D.O., and medical chair of women’s services. “Our labor and delivery unit is a special place designed to keep them safe, with experienced nurses and central fetal monitoring.”
Prenatal care remains critical and women are encouraged to stay in contact with their obstetrician and keep their appointments to be sure their pregnancy is on track. And once baby is here, regular visits to the pediatrician are important to help them thrive.
The hospital and physician clinics keep the safety of their patients as the top priority. Many actions have been taken to enhance infection prevention and support social distancing to maintain a safe environment during the pandemic.
When an expectant mom arrives at the hospital, she goes to the main entrance during 6 am to 6 pm or to the ER after hours where staff will check her temperature, test for COVID-19 and complete a screening questionnaire. Effective 2/15/2021 moms will be allowed 2 designated visitors for the duration of their labor and delivery. No visitors will be allowed under the age of 18. For the safety of others, both visitors will be screened for Covid symptoms on admission and always wear a mask. They will not be allowed to trade out with other visitors and will minimize exits and returns. One visitor may remain with the patient for the post-partum period on Women’s Center.
“We are committed to providing the best experience possible during a stay with us. Safety is always our top priority for our patients, staff and community,” states Kristina Cherry, PhD, R.N., NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer. “Our dedicated women's services healthcare team is trained in infection prevention principles and to keep you safe we follow the set guidelines by organizations such as the Center for Disease Control. With our focus on safety and quality, our program is award winning as evidenced through our Best for Babies by the TN Department of Health designation for success in three areas critical to reducing infant mortality in TN: breastfeeding initiation, sustained progress in reducing early elective delivery and safe sleep policy sustainment. Our program is also designated as a Blue Distinction Center+ for Maternity Care by Blue Cross Blue Shield. This distinction demonstrates our expertise and commitment to quality care during vaginal and cesarean section deliveries.”
Labor and delivery proceed as they always have and most adjacent procedures remain available. Tubal ligation after delivery is an option if a mother is negative for COVID-19 and circumcisions can also be performed. Breastfeeding is encouraged, even for moms who test positive for COVID-19 and can protect their infant by wearing a mask.
For information on the Childbirth Center at Tennova Healthcare - Cleveland, visit TennovaCleveland.com or call (423) 559-6122. If you need help finding an obstetrician, pediatrician or another physician, visit the “Find a Doctor” link at TennovaCleveland.com or call (423) 559-6184.
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