Integris Women’s Center Breaks Record For Baby Deliveries

Health care workers at Integris Canadian Valley Hospital said it’s a moment unlike any other.

“You cry and the nurses are crying you think ‘Man this kid gets to start out fresh right now with people that love them!’ It has helped us get through the pandemic,” said Dr. Gregory Root.

He said being on labor and delivery is a breath of fresh air.

“We see sadness, we see what is out there but then we get to come in and we get to be a part of one of the most special times in a couple’s life.”

Kim Engelking, who is a nurse at Canadian Valley said in the month of August their delivery rate increased by 37.5%. Usually, the hospital is used to seeing around 80 deliveries per month.

“Our former record was 106 deliveries, we hit the record of 110 this year,” she said. This includes 4 sets of twins in 48 hours and 271 outpatients.

“We do warn them that they are going to have a lot of nurses in and out, we are all working as a team,” said Engelking.

Root said without the diligent and organized work of the nurses this wouldn't be possible.

“Not only are they working like busy bees, but every patient that comes in just gets phenomenal care because of our nursing staff,” he said.

“The first ten days of August we were at 60 deliveries, so we were trying to prepare ahead like wow this is a lot, we are going to have to change up some things,’” said Engelking.

To compensate, nurses signed up for extra shifts and did their best to stay with the patient they admitted until they were in labor.

“We just try everything that we can to offer those patients comfort and take the scariness out of delivery,” said Root. 

Right now, Integris allows one visitor at a time and one support person to stay overnight.