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LYNNE’S STORY
Lynne’s* three-month-old son, Ben*, was experiencing symptoms of the common cold. A first-time mother, she made an appointment with her son’s pediatrician and was then provided with saline drops to help alleviate some of her son’s nasal congestion. When her Children’s Friend nurse, Maria, visited her home, Lynne expressed concern that Ben’s symptoms had not subsided. Maria examined Ben and heard wheezing and respiratory retractions in his upper lungs.
Vulnerable children and their families received child and family development services, including education, health, nutrition, social services, and other supports.
their newborns. This program aims to improve pregnancy outcomes by helping women engage in good preventative health practices and improve child health and development by helping parents provide responsible and competent care. The program also improves the economic self-sufficiency of families by assisting parents in developing a vision for their own future, planning future pregnancies, continuing their education, and finding employment.
Through practical education and compassionate care, Maria can improve her client’s health and her client’s family health. As she affirms, “My job seeks to improve access to better the quality of their lives.” In light of COVID-19 restrictions, Maria can still communicate with her clients through virtual telehealth visits, telephone conferences, and text messages. She adds, “The beauty of this program is that we orient and guide first- time mothers with the tools to empower them to be the main advocators for their own children.”
She immediately telephoned his pediatrician and was able to schedule a doctor’s appointment that same afternoon. As a result, he received immediate treatment. Lynne was provided with a nebulizer to administer the medication to her son at home as needed.
Maria followed up with Lynne with a home visit and, through a demonstration, instructed her how to properly use the nebulizer to distribute the medication. She attended pediatric appointments with Mom, and provided referrals, and accompanied her on appointments for an allergist, asthma specialist, and an ENT physician.
Originally from the Dominican Repub- lic, Lynne has lived in Rhode Island for the past four years. She first heard about Children’s Friend through a re- ferral from the Providence Community Health Center during the early stages of her pregnancy. In October of 2018, Maria began regular bi-weekly visits with Lynne to educate her about her pregnan- cy. Specifically, she discussed how her
MY JOB SEEKS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO BETTER THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIVES.
baby will grow, some common danger signs that may occur during pregnancy, what to expect during labor and delivery, and how to take care of a newborn.
When Ben was born, Maria was there to help Lynne when she experienced diffi- culties with breastfeeding. She visited her home and was joined by another Children’s Friend nurse, a Certified Lac- tation Consultant. Ben responded imme- diately after the consultant guided and supported Lynne in breastfeeding.
The Nurse Family Partnership is a maternal and child home visiting service for expectant first-time mothers and
2020 ANNUAL REPORT [ 11 ]