20
Hospital Evolution
HealtHone BirtHing experience cHanges
sHape witH new Knowledge
Stories by Debra Melani
Remember when new dads handed out cigars in hospital waiting rooms, doctors slapped newborns'
bottoms the second they arrived, and nurses whisked babies away from their moms after only
a glance? OK, probably not, unless you're recalling grandparent tales or old TV re-runs. But
these past protocols, vastly different from today's practices, illustrate the importance of hospital
evolution. Whether it's laying baby on Mom's warm chest as soon as a child is born, recognizing
dads for the central figures that they are, or encouraging skin-to-skin contact for parents of
preemies, today's evidence-based practices are changing the hospital birthing experience. The next
five pages offer a peek into HealthONE hospitals, where these changes are making a difference.
