Cot goes straight to work

Wimmera Health Care Group has put a new neonatal resuscitation cot provided by Blue Ribbon Foundation’s Horsham branch to immediate use.

The foundation raised $30,000 for the cot, which has already been influential in care provided at Wimmera Base Hospital’s Yandilla maternity ward.

Yandilla nurse-midwife unit manager Michelle Coutts said she was ‘extremely’ grateful for the generous support of Blue Ribbon Foundation and its supporters.

“The cot had only been here a few days before it was needed, so it has already provided life-saving comfort for one Wimmera family,” she said.

“About 10 percent of all babies born in Australia require some sort of resuscitation at birth and this can be for a wide variety of reasons.

“The resuscitation cots in our maternity services are standard equipment and it is wonderful to get a new one.

“We need to be prepared to manage the smallest of babies at WHCG given the vast size of the catchment area for our health service.”

Mrs Coutts said medical staff used the cots for a variety of resuscitation measures.

LIFE-SAVING COMFORT: Student midwives Clare Henstridge, left, and Emily Langley show Blue Ribbon Foundation Horsham branch president Dale Russell how Wimmera Health Care Group’s new neonatal resuscitation cot works.