Despite a 35 percent increase in the volume of patients in the Family Birthing Center at Grande Ronde Hospital, it is thriving and recently received 100 percent on a nationwide simulation competency for obstetrical emergencies.

Sommer Sargent, Nurse Manager for the Family Birth Center, praises her nursing staff for successfully transitioning patients after Baker City’s maternity center closed.

St. Alphonsus Medical Center in Baker City closed its maternity wing at the end of August, citing the declining number of deliveries. In July 2023, GRH and Baker City created a co-management model between the Baker City and La Grande providers for future patients who would continue their pregnancy journey locally.

“We wanted to work together and support the patients with this transition,” Sargent said. “They would still receive the obstetrics care in Baker City but then would have a transition plan with the OB providers at GRH. The majority of (Baker’s) patients came here.”

Sargent acknowledged she knew there were a lot of concerns voiced by the patients.

“The goal with both providers was always how to best care for the patients,” Sargent said. “We wanted them to continue to have care close to home.”

While the influx of patients hasn’t been easy, Sargent said they’ve added multiple staffing positions to cover the increase. GRH also hasn’t turned any patients away, and if they run out of beds, there are plenty of rooms at the hospital where expectant families can be cared for comfortably.

“We want to provide for them,” Sargent said of the patients living in Union County, Baker, and Wallowa County. “It’s an ongoing evolving situation. We don’t turn patients away, though. We are here for you.”

Pull Quote

“The goal with both providers was always how to best care for the patients,” Sargent said. “We wanted them to continue to have care close to home.”

The added nursing positions in the Family Birthing Center have helped, and the staff has done well.

“One thing I can say about this group of nurses is they’re so hard-working,” she said proudly. “They put the patients at the center of their attention. They’ve pulled extra shifts many times. These nurses are close-knit and support each other.”

Six nurses came from Baker City to join the GRH team after the closure, which also helped the new patients.

“It was nice for (patients) to see the friendly, familiar faces,” Sargent said. “We’re here to provide the best care possible.”

She added that making this transition possible would have been much more difficult without the team working together as a singular unit.

With the increase in patients, there were more births this year than in years past. Sargent said that in October, 48 babies were born at GRH. In 2023, GRH had 252 total births. In early December, GRH already had 325.

While the number of babies is increasing, the GRH staff didn’t let that deter them from receiving a top spot on a nationally rated training simulation.

Sargent said the staff received a test on postpartum hemorrhaging and eclampsia, and they scored 100 percent on how to handle the situation. This drill is offered to hospitals across the United States, and the average performance was 82 percent overall. They also beat the median simulation time by nearly three minutes, Sargent said.

GRH’s birthing center is doing great things, she said.