As Hurricane Laura made landfall Aug. 27, neonatal intensive care unit staff sheltered in place at Lake Charles (La.) Memorial Hospital to ensure 19 of its babies remained safe, CNN reported.
Earlier that day, the babies had been moved from the Lake Charles Memorial Hospital for Women to the main hospital due to the flooding threat.
As the hurricane slammed the Texas and Louisiana coasts, Juan Bossano, MD, a neonatologist, and a team of 14 nurses, two neonatal nurse practitioners and three respiratory therapists, stayed behind to care for the infants, alternating shifts so their colleagues could rest, Dr. Bossano told CNN.
Dr. Bossano told the news channel the situation was challenging, as some of the babies were on ventilators, but staff rose to the occasion.
"It's important to know the dedication of all the nurses and the respiratory therapists to keep taking care of the babies when they don't even know the condition of their homes," Dr. Juan Bossano told CNN Aug. 27. "In a small town like this, people have to pull together. I'm proud of them."
Later on Aug. 27, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital began evacuating patients after losing power and water service due to the hurricane.
Matt Felder, the hospital's director of communications, told TV station KPLC critical patients were evacuated first, including the 19 NICU babies. Mr. Felder said patients are being transferred to other hospitals across Louisiana.
Read the full CNN story here. Read how other hospitals prepared for the hurricane here.
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