With a vision of delivering optimal health outcomes through the best family-centered perinatal care, the Fraser Health Perinatal Network is comprised of 8 hospital sites that together deliver approximately 13,000 babies per year.

• We have a total of 62 inpatient Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds distributed between 4 of our sites.
• 12 Level III beds (these are located at one site). This unit provides specialty care to unstable infants of all gestational ages, weight and acuity. It provides care to infants born in Fraser Health as well as other infants in the province requiring this level of care.
• There are 50 Level II beds which provide specialty care to infants > 30 weeks gestation and > 1,500 grams. These units also support infants from other parts of the province.
• Our other 4 sites have low risk obstetrical services with Level I observation nurseries which are able to provide care to infants = 34-36 weeks gestation who require stabilization and observation.
• 3 sites have single labour birthing recovery and postpartum (LBRP) rooms with a fourth site under construction and expected to open in 2008. The other 4 sites offer traditional labour delivery and post partum configurations. In total we currently have 49 LBRP's. 25 traditional labour and delivery beds, 85 antepartum/postpartum beds.
• Our largest 29 bed LBRP also has its own operating room and 2 bed post anesthetic recovery room.
• There is a very successful antepartum care at home program that replaces hospital care for women with selected high risk conditions of pregnancy. These women are followed in their homes by a team of very experienced and knowledgeable antepartum nurses.

Full time nurses in both the NICU and Perinatal units usually work 11 hour shifts with master rotations comprising of 2 day shifts followed by 2 night shifts with five days off. Some units have offered 7 hour shifts to accommodate older nurses or nurse with special requests. During the Christmas period, nurses work together to develop a schedule that has every one working either the Christmas or New Year's statutory holiday. This ensures that every one has at least one of the days free to celebrate with family and friends if they choose.

Regional and hospital based orientation is provided for all new staff. Based on individual assessment of each nurse, a combination of educator led 7.5 hour shifts and 8-10 11 hour mentorship shifts will be provided in the NICU or Perinatal units.

Fraser Health has a strong mentorship program which fosters a learning partnership between an experienced staff member and a new student/staff member. This program provides a supportive environment for new staff members, allows experienced staff members to share their clinical and organizational expertise, promotes the recruitment of new staff while helping to retain current staff, and creates lifelong learning relationships that value the contributions of both experts and novices.

Fraser Health (FH) offers specialty nursing education sponsorship as part of our ongoing shared responsibility to professional development and safe, competent, ethical care. Sponsorship is offered to all FH employees pending funding availability as well as organizational and patient care needs. Sponsorship may include (depending on funding availability) up to 100% of tuition and textbooks and 100% of regular full-time wages for CTF/clinical component full time study.

The 8 sites that comprise our perinatal network each offer varying degrees of support depending on the size and level of acuity. Every unit has both a director and nurse manager that may also be responsible for more than one area. The larger sites and the tertiary site have perinatal and neonatal nursing educators on site Monday to Friday during the day. Each nursery has a charge nurse, clinical resource nurse or patient clinical coordinator available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. The educators meet regularly to work together to develop standardized patient care guidelines and develop ways to support each other and the front line nurses. Many of the sites have implemented professional practice councils which provide interdisciplinary collaboration and a forum for dialogue around important issues. This structure is supported throughout Fraser Health and contributes to the development of positive relationships as well as the advancement of professional practice.

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