Care providers from St. Tammany Health System’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit reunited Oct. 27 with some of their former patients, the first such reunion held by STHS since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.
Held at Coquille Park near Covington, the fall-themed event featured such kid-friendly activities as a petting zoo, a slide, face painting, bubbles, games, and an antique firetruck for use as a photo op.
“Meeting the patients and families again answers the ‘why’ for NICU nursing at St. Tammany Health System,” said STHS Director of Women and Children’s Services Suzanne Fraiche. “It was beautiful weather, and a fun time was had by all!”
Although interrupted by COVID-19, the health system’s NICU reunions have traditionally been an annual event, in which families that spent time in the NICU over the previous five years are invited back to reconnect with the nurses, nurse practitioners, neonatologists, and other providers who cared for them during their stay at the Covington hospital.