11/05/2007

Indianapolis - After over three months in the hospital Nevaeh King is preparing to go home for the first time. King underwent surgery at Riley Hospital for Children to repair a rare heart defect shortly after her birth. Surgeons at Riley say the procedure on the baby weighing less than three pounds was the first open heart surgery done in Indiana on such a small infant.

Nevaeh's mom Sarah Fuller will spend the next two days caring for her at Riley in the Parent Care unit. Here she will practice working with equipment her small daughter needs to thrive.

Nevaeh was born 10 weeks premature with a heart condition that's fatal if left untreated. Nevaeh's challenges were due to total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR). This condition is a rare heart defect when the pulmonary veins don't return fresh blood to the heart. It accounts for less than one percent of all congenital heart defects.

Note: More information about the Parent Care program at Riley is attached below. A Parent Care expert and Nevaeh's mother are available for interview.

Parent Care Program

Philosophy:

Parent Care provides a family-centered atmosphere for learning. We recognize parents as important members of the healthcare team. We want you to feel confident as you prepare to go home. Using an educational approach, you will be supported as we teach you how to best care for your child.

Some children have many healthcare needs. Learning new skills to care for them can be overwhelming. You will learn in a home-like environment with support from hospital staff.

The goal of the Parent Care Program is to help you and your child get ready for home. We want you to feel comfortable to care for your child's needs.

• You are better prepared to care for your child at home.
• Your child will be less likely to come back to the hospital.
• Problems that come up are solved before going home.
• You will have more confidence to care for your child.

By having you provide 24 hour care here at the hospital, we hope to make giving care at home easier.  We want to support you and your child.

We Value:

• Treating each person with respect and dignity
• An educational approach that is individualized for each patient and family
• An educational approach that is based on family strengths
• Open communication among patients, families and the healthcare team
• Care which supports the best quality of life for the child and family
• Family-centered care where parents are active participants of the healthcare team
• Normalization of the child within the family and community
• Successful transitioning of each child back into their home and local community
• Empowering families to achieve positive outcomes while meeting the complex needs of their child
• Evidenced-based care that promotes optimal outcomes for each patient and family