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Jordan Valley Children’s Center opens to keep kids close to home

Jun 05, 2017 03:04PM ● By Natalie Conforto

Shannon Flitton, RN, and her nursing team had the honor of cutting the ribbon to open the Jordan Valley Children’s Center, the new pediatric wing at Jordan Valley Medical Center. (Jordan Valley Medical Center)

By Natalie Conforto | [email protected]
 
Jordan Valley Medical Center’s new unit, called the Jordan Valley Children’s Center, is now ready to receive children for inpatient care. When the ICU expanded into the newer part of the hospital, space became available to house children.
 
For years, many west-side families have traveled across the valley for inpatient care, but now they will have another option, said CEO Steven Anderson at the March 23 ribbon-cutting for the new pediatric wing. Medical personnel, hospital board members and many EMS providers, including police officers and firefighters, were in attendance. Many brought their children to the event.
 
“We’ve delivered 2,000 babies here a year, and when they leave we’ve told them to come back when they’re adults,” Anderson said. “Well now, we’ll tell them to come back anytime they need help.”
 
The new unit includes several standout features:
 
·       Personal nine-bed unit
·       Pediatric accredited sleep lab bed
·       Pediatric Centered Emergency Department
·       Bronchiolitis Clinic (RSV)
·       CT Scanner with the lowest dose of radiation in the state
·       Complimentary transportation from the emergency room at Mountain Point Medical Center and Jordan Valley, West Valley Campus (IASIS hospitals)
 
Nathanael Budge, hospital COO, has been involved in this project from the ground up. He said the pediatric unit was conceived about five years ago when administration began to analyze the number of emergency room patients coming through their doors.
 
“We typically had between 20 and 30 pediatric ER patients in a month,” Budge said. “And they could receive at least that initial emergent care, but if they needed to have a prolonged stay in the hospital, we couldn’t take care of them.”
 
With nine beds, the Jordan Valley Children’s Center should be able to comfortably accommodate the current needs of the west side.
 
The hospital boasts four sleep lab rooms, which are designed to conduct diagnostic tests for sleep apnea and insomnia. One of these rooms is dedicated just for pediatrics.
 
Budge said the bronchiolitis clinic has been available for some time at Jordan Valley Medical Center, but children who have needed further observation have historically been shipped up to Primary Children’s Medical Center. Now the bronchiolitis clinic is an integral part of the children’s center.
 
“IASIS Healthcare has been generous in providing the latest equipment, including software that can detect patient size and deliver specific amounts of radiation,” Budge said. He explained that their new technology makes it possible for children to receive far less radiation than adults would during a scan.
 
Sarah Morgan, RN, was recognized at the ribbon-cutting as the very first nurse hired onto Shannon Flitton’s pediatric team. Morgan is excited to help alleviate the burden on west-side families—especially the sick children.
 
“Now, instead of having to transfer them and take them out of their environment, they are able to stay here close to their homes,” Flitton said.
 
The previous West Jordan mayor, Dave Newton, was at the event to represent the hospital board, where he has served for the past 15 years. He and his wife, Sandy, raised their family in West Jordan.
 
“Our daughter had febrile seizures when she was tiny,” Newton said. “We would’ve been able to bring her here instead of going all the way to the east for her treatment. They are absolutely great in their desire to give the best medical care they can. It’s really a marvelous place.” He said has been impressed with the staff at the new children’s center.
 
Before inviting the nursing staff to cut the ribbon, Anderson indicated the children who were present.
 
“We need to remember that this is why we built this unit—for these precious children,” he said.