Warm, Welcoming Family Birth Center Opens at Union Hospital Jan. 3

ChristianaCare has redesigned and upgraded the newly renamed Family Birth Center at Union Hospital to improve the labor and delivery experience of families in Cecil County and surrounding communities.

Approximately 450 babies are born each year at Union Hospital.

Renovation of the 14-bed unit includes a contemporary design, larger maternity suites and upgraded technology. The unit consists of three postpartum rooms, eight labor and delivery rooms, three private triage rooms, a tub room to assist with labor, and a nursery.

The newly renovated unit will begin taking patients on Jan. 3, 2024.

“This is an exciting moment for our community,” said Amy Marston, MBA, MPH, campus executive director. “Upgrading our Family Birth Center was a priority that we identified early in the process as Union Hospital integrated with ChristianaCare, and we are delighted to announce the opening of the upgraded unit in January.

“The beautiful, renovated center, designed to be warm and inviting, will provide an exceptional experience for our laboring patients and their families.”

Highlights of the upgraded center include:

• Enlarged OB triage suite, with one additional bed for a total of three, and relocation of the suite inside the unit for greater privacy.
• Expanded patient rooms.
• Upgraded wireless fetal monitoring system.
• Redesigned circular pathway around the nurse’s station for laboring patients to walk, which can potentially shorten the time for labor.
• Added second nursing station at the entrance of the unit.
• Upgraded electronics and new TVs.
• Relocated lactation office outside the suite to provide easier access to breastfeeding support for outpatients.

“The center’s new design supports our caregiver’s ability to provide the very best care to our patients,” said Joan Pirrung, MSN, APRN, ACNS- BC, chief nursing officer of the Cecil County Campus.

“Improvements such as better flow between patient rooms, more workstations for nurses and an enhanced security system will improve efficiencies and safety on the unit.”

The ChristianaCare Union Hospital Auxiliary awarded $120,000 toward the upgrade project. Since 2009 the Auxilians have raised over $2 million to support Union Hospital.

“The Hospital Auxiliary has been an invaluable partner in our mission to provide expert care to our neighbors,” said Marston. “We are incredibly grateful for its generous donation to the Family Birth Center.”

In addition to the advantages offered to them in the renovated unit, parents-to-be at Union Hospital can also benefit from ChristianaCare’s partnership with Babyscripts My Journey. This free mobile app supports patients throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journey with educational materials and other resources.

Union Hospital earned a 2023 Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades, one of only five hospitals in Maryland to receive the award.