Spring 2008 - Memorial Hospital of South Bend

Dr. White has been working with premature babies
for more than 26 years and serves as chair of the
international committee that writes standards for
newborn ICU design.
Premature infants are born before their nervous
systems are fully developed. Therefore, their outward
reactions are not the same as a baby born full term.
They don’t have the startle reflex that fully developed
newborns have to sudden noises, nor do they cry at
the same stimuli. The youngest babies that Memorial’s
NICU has treated were born at 23 weeks gestation,
and the smallest survivor weighed only 12 ounces.
With this inability to cry or react the same way that
full-term babies do, the Memorial NICU team
monitors the children in other ways such as measuring
responses in brain EEG patterns. With all of the
monitoring devices on the children, they are able to
see the effects the environment has on the babies with
more sensitivity. The slightest changes in sound, light,
temperature and touch can all affect the healing rate
of these tiny children.
Dr. White and his team are currently exploring
the effect of mother’s milk on the growth and
development of premature babies. Not only does
mother’s milk contain the essential nutrients that
babies need, but research at Memorial is showing that
even the time of day that the mother expressed the
milk can lead to varying levels of important hormones
in the milk, such as melatonin and cortisol. This is just
one of the many reports that may be created and
It’s this kind of dedication that
will ensure that future generations,
not only in our own community but
throughout the nation, will benefit
from better health care. – Mary Malone
shared within the Pebble Project, so that other health
care providers are able to learn from these findings.
Many of the principles that have been discovered in
Memorial’s NICU are also applied in other intensive
care units. Correct lighting and a low noise level are
crucial in the care of critically ill and fragile patients no
matter their age. Keeping the lights dimmed at night
creates a restful environment. Natural light in the day
with windows and sunshine is also beneficial in creating
the best environment for healing.
Visual input can also affect patients and their families.
Studies show that a contented patient heals more
quickly, and if the patient’s family is also relaxed and
comfortable, it creates a better sense of well-being for
the patient. Creating pleasing, comfortable, colorful
spaces is a goal intended to further improve the health
and happiness of patients, families and the staff who
care for them.
Mary Malone, of Malone Advisory Services, is a current
board member of the Center for Health Design and a
resident of South Bend. She says, “Memorial’s
participation in the Pebble Project has a two-fold
impact: The first is that the organization is committed
to using evidence-based design to create the best
possible outcomes for their patients, quality financial
performance and a positive environment for the
care-giving team. The second is that Memorial will
be partnered with an elite group of health care
organizations, architects and designers who are also
committed to sharing their research and giving back to
the community. It’s this kind of dedication that will
ensure that future generations, not only in our own
community but throughout the nation, will benefit
from better health care.”
SPRING / SUMMER 2008 › www.qualityoflife.org
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