A Day in theLife of aNICU NurseGiving hope, healing, andheart to North County’s most fragile new residents... page 3

FALL 2015

For GoodConnecting friends & supporters to the work of Tri-City Hospital Foundation

SPECIAL NICU EDITION

2 www.tricityhospitalfoundation.org

On a normal day, Tri-City’s

NICU RN Supervisor

Stephanie Benyebka

starts with staff rounds at 7am.

But the key word here is normal.

Because at North County’s only

Level III NICU, Benyebka’s

patients include the area’s most

critically ill infants and babies

born more than three months

premature. That means the close-

knit Tri-City NICU team are

prepared for anything.

With what you quickly sense is

a characteristic calm, Benyebka

(ben-yeb-kah) offers an example.

“If we had a baby that came in

for an emergent delivery who

requires immediate life saving

interventions, everybody who’s

around helps in their own way.

Whether it’s helping to feed other

babies so a bedside nurse can help

support the doctors, or it’s getting

all pertinent information

documented, or making sure

people are helping the parents, the

NICU always works as a team.”

A race for spaceAs part of the campaign to

renovate Tri-City Medical Center’s

Women & Newborn Services, one

of the most urgent pieces of the

puzzle is an overhaul of the Level

III NICU where Benyebka and her

team work. The legacy NICU

facility has served them well. But

updates are needed to keep up

with demand and ever-changing

best practices. “The new NICU

will help immensely,” she says,

“because neonatal intensive care

takes a team. This means there

are often a lot of people around a

baby’s bedside. We might need an

OT (occupational therapist), or

respiratory therapy, and of course

doctors, nurses, and the parents.

It’s hard when you’re limited to a

small space.”

Privacy at a tough timeBenyebka continues. “Imagine

what happens when we get five

admissions at one time. In the

A Day in theLife of aNICU Nurse

A Day in theLife of aNICU Nurse

Lives touched by your Tri-City Hospital Foundation donations:

Her patients are often less than fifteen inches long —and often, critically ill. Walk in the footsteps of Level IIINeonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse StephanieBenyebka to see how your donations to Tri-CityHospital Foundation touch lives close to home... Our NICU is a very, very

special NICU. There are alot of nurses who havebeen here for years andyears. I hope we can getthe funds for a biggerNeonatal Intensive CareUnit, because we work soclosely and so well as ateam – it’s hard for us insuch a limited space, andat such a stressful time forour parents and babies.

“As much as we can when our NICU

babies graduate, the mom holds her little

baby and the nurse taking care of them

that day wheels the mom and her child

out. Every nurse is waving and saying,

‘Goodbye!’ and ‘Congratulations!’

There’s a lot of relationships, a lot of

care, a lot of love here.”

3www.tricityhospitalfoundation.org

limited space it can be scary and

chaotic for parents — even when

the baby is not your own, because

you’re automatically worrying

about your baby. These parents

are struggling to bond with their

baby, some moms will actually

sleep in their cars and come in

every three hours to breastfeed

because we haven’t the sleeping

space right now. We’re helping

however we can, but the new

NICU will have twelve single-

family suites. It will be incredible

to be able to support our families

in this way.” Her team, in fact, is

so motivated to see that enough

funds are raised for the overhaul,

they have organized no less than

six fundraisers on their own time.

Day’s endAs her day ends Benyebka — who

is in constant communication with

the charge nurse —is “helping to

make sure we have the correct

amount of staff for the next shift,

and that all concerns are

addressed. The floor nurses are

also giving the report to the next

nurses coming in,” another team

update that happens at the change

of every 12-hour shift. “We have a

lot of very committed, amazing

nurses,” Benyebka adds, with a

pride and tenderness in her voice

that is unmistakable.

THANK yOU FOR CARING AbOUTNORTH COUNTy’S TINIEST LIVES!Tri-City Hospital Foundation is hard

at work raising the funds for the

NICU Expansion Campaign. If you’d

like to help, call Glen or Danielle at

760-940-3370 or give securely

online at www.tricityhospital

foundation.org. �

PROGRESS REPORT:

Campaign to Overhaul Women & Newborn ServicesNears Halfway Mark

If the remainder of the Foundation’s commitment to the $1.2 million in renovation funds can be raised, and thanks to support like yours, Tri-City’s Women & Newborn Services will have undergone an extreme makeover by this time next year. Including...

• Expansion of the current Level IIINeonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU) to an additional wing of 12 private suites that will allow

mother and child to bond, plus a

realignment of the existing NICU

space for the highest risk infants,

lifesaving equipment designed to

move easily from room to room,

and more room for staff to work

around critically ill and premature

babies.

• Overhauls to the Labor & DeliveryUnit and Mother and baby Unit:Opened in 1994, these legacy units need a makeover. To support

the whole family in the birth process, expect soothing colors, a

pullout for parents and family to sleep on, and updated furniture

that will add space and give a harmonious, therapeutic feel.

Can you make a difference close to home?Let us count the ways...

• Make a tax-deductible donation by Mail: Tri-City HospitalFoundation, 4002 Vista Way Oceanside, CA 92056,

Phone: (760) 940-3370, Online:www.tricityhospitalfoundation.org(Check out our giving clubs there too!)

• Attend the Baile de Esperanza annual gala (details page 6)

• Tell a Friend

GOAL TO OVERHAUL wOMEN & NEwbORNSERVICES: $1.2 MILLION ›

hFor supporting advanced healthcare

here at home, we thank you!

4www.tricityhospitalfoundation.org

In an age when it’s all too common for women to beforced by big-system health networks to travel to La Jolla or San Diego for something as routine as theirannual Pap smear, Tri-City Medical Center is keepingwomen’s healthcare close to home — with theaddition of three board-certified OB/GYNs who chooseto practice exclusively here. We caught up with themrecently to ask a few questions:

Q: what’s the best part of your job?Dr. Dhillon-Ashley: It’s very simple. Ahappy patient. A happy family. As

obstetricians and gynecologists, we

help women and families through

some of the happiest — and the

most difficult — times of their lives.

The best way I can do that is to

treat patients like a member of my

own family, allowing whatever time

is needed to do the best I can.

Q: Regarding the Level III NICU andLabor & Delivery expansions at Tri-City, what are you most excited about?Dr. Ebrahimi Adib: I am most excitedabout the fact that we won’t have

to transfer our newborns elsewhere

due to a lack of space! I am already

talking with my patients about the

benefit of delivering at Tri-City

versus others, something that’s

even more important considering

the closeness of Camp Pendleton to

us and the huge number of families

that use our services.

Q: you have children of your own,including rescue greyhounds. whatmotivates you?Dr. Penvose-yi: Despite the crazyhours, I love providing obstetric

care and delivering babies. I

especially enjoy getting to know

my patients so that the delivery can

be a great experience for them! �

by North County women.For North County women. Now Accepting New Patients:

• Board certified Obstetrician/

Gynecologists serving North

County and surrounding areas

• Gynecological, cancer

screening, full pre-natal

care, and more

• Deliveries and surgeries at

Tri-City Medical Center

• Multilingual (English,

Assyrian, Farsi, and Spanish)

Dr. Jan R. Penvose-Yi,Radiance OB-GYN: 3998 Vista Way Suite C,

Oceanside. To schedule, call

(760) 385-8008, Mon-Fri

from 8am to 4pm or visit

radianceobgyn.com.

Dr. Tannaz Ebrahimi Adiband Dr. Tina J. Dhillon-Ashley, Venus Women’sHealthcare Professionals:2067 Vista Way Suite 160,

Oceanside. To schedule,

call (760) 295-9995

Mon-Thurs from 8am to 5pm,

Fri 8am-3pm, or visit

venuswomenshcp.com.

Keeping OB/GYN Close to Home

AFTER STUDY REVEALS SHORTAGE OF NORTH COUNTY OB/GYN DOCS, TRI-CITY STEPS IN...

Three new Tri-City obstetrics andgynecology physicians who arekeeping compassionate,personalized, board-certifiedOB/GYN care here for the womenof North County: (left to right) Tina J. Dhillon-Ashley MD, FACOG,Tannaz Ebrahimi Adib, MD, FACOG,and Jan R. Penvose-Yi, MD, ABOG.

Lauren Gibney’s parents

waited thirteen long years

to conceive a child. So when

complications arose and she

inhaled contaminated amniotic

fluid during delivery, her distressed

parents struggled for breath right

along with their tiny newborn. “I

can’t imagine the trauma to them if

I hadn’t made it,” admits Lauren.

But Lauren did make it. And

seventy-two hours later, her joyous

mom and dad carried their healthy

baby girl home from Tri-City’s

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

(NICU) to start a new life.

Tug of fateTo hear Lauren’s story is to feel

the tug of fate. Her mom worked

in Tri-City’s NICU while pregnant

with Lauren — then, later, went

back to Tri-City in our hospital's

finance office. Unexpected

complications brought Lauren to

the NICU as a newborn. And as a

child Lauren remembers visiting

the house of Tri-City NICU

neonatologist Hamid “Dr. Mo”

Movahhedian, MD with her family.

So it’s not surprising to discover

that after Lauren graduated from

college, their paths crossed again:

not long ago, she became Dr. Mo’s

office manager and medical biller.

She flashes a sparkling smile that

says it all. “I’ve alwaysimagined myself working here.I love Tri-City. And when thetime comes, I will for sure havemy own children here.”

One-of-a-kind viewWhen Lauren is asked about the

expansion to Tri-City’s Women and

Newborn Services, this NICU

graduate whose own life once

hung in the balance, speaks from

the heart: “Having a sick newborn

can be such an emotional

experience for a parent. The

additional space and privacy that

will result from donations for the

NICU expansion will enrich the

bonding experience for new

families in so many ways —

especially for overnight visits,

breastfeeding, and skin-to-skin

contact. It’s vital.” �

Generosity, skill, and the most advanced technology ofits time saved Lauren from a potentially lifethreatening condition as a newborn — and saved herparents a devastating loss. Meet the NICU graduatewith a unique view on the importance of keepingcritical Level III care for infants in North County...

When baby Lauren’s birth took an unexpected turn, generous Tri-City supporters helped theNICU to be there for her. Now 25 years later she’s back with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unitteam, helping the community!

NICU Baby Comes Full Circle

5www.tricityhospitalfoundation.org

618 Number of premature/critically ill babies admitted to theTri-City Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in a year

Volunteer. Donate. Discover.www.tricityhospitalfoundation.org

Like us on:www.facebook.com/TriCityHospitalFoundation

Join us on:twitter.com/tricityhospfdn

66 www.tricityhospitalfoundation.org

CLIP, SAVE, AND JOIN US...

35th Annual Baile de Esperanza (formerly Diamond Ball)

Don’t miss this year’s dazzling

November black tie gala to

benefit the Neonatal

Intensive Care Unit and Women

and Infant Services at Tri-City Medical Center

Saturday, November 7, 2015, Park Hyatt Aviara Resort,7100 Aviara Resort Drive, Carlsbad Sponsorships and

tickets now available: For details contact Rosella at 760-940-3597 or SaucierR@tcmc.com.

Corporate CouncilA select group of compassionate

corporate citizens who understand the

importance of having an exceptional

hospital serving North County, the

Corporate Council at Tri-City Hospital

Foundation serves as a voice of the community in

quarterly meetings, and more. To discover how your

business can take part, contact Danielle at 760-940-3370or PorterD@tcmc.com with questions or for a Council

Membership Application.

Phone:(760) 940-3370

Fax:(760) 940-4053

Email:TCHFoundation@tcmc.com

4002 Vista WayOceanside, CA 92056

A Living Legacy That Pays You BackLet your memory live on with a gift annuity to Tri-City ...

Agift annuity is a simple contract between you

and Tri-City Hospital Foundation. In return for

a donation of cash or other assets, the Foundation

pays a fixed amount for life to you, a friend, or

family member of your choosing. It also qualifies

you for a charitable tax deduction. Giving while living:

One of the most loving — most lasting — things you can do to

protect the future of healthcare in North County. For details, call

Glen Newhart at 760-940-3370. �

Thanks for the Love,NICU Families!

El POur one month old son was in your NICU. Youguys are awesome! The support andunderstanding you nurses gave us is somethingthat can’t be described in words. Thank you.

Mira THurray for NICU nurses! My baby thrivedwith the wonderful care she received!

Krystn PCMy twins were born at 31 weeks there.Awesome experience!

Kimber STwo of my babies spent time in yourNICU. You nurses are amazing

Melodee JRThey took care of my baby

Magy HMy 3 year old granddaughter is doingawesome, thank God for Tri-City NICU

Share your NICU story and photos on Facebookor at TCHFoundation@tcmc.com

Jane DOur daughter spent the first 5 weeks of her lifein the Tri-City NICU. She thrived because of theamazing nurses. Thank you for our daughter