2011 Intensive Care Nursery Reunion at Pennsylvania Hospital

400 Guests Return to Our Nation's First Hospital to Celebrate Life, Friendship & Personal Bonds with Physicians & Staff

WHAT:	Pennsylvania Hospital (PAH), our nation's first hospital, founded in 1751 by Dr. Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond, is hosting its 2011 Intensive Care Nursery reunion with parents and former infant patients from the over last ten years. All families were invited to come back to PAH to celebrate life and reconnect with staff and other families with whom they forged deep bonds during their infants' time in the ICN. Over 400 people have RSVP'd to attend this joyous event.
WHEN:	Saturday, October 1, 2011 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
WHERE:	Pennsylvania Hospital's Elm Garden 8th & Spruce Streets, on 8th Street, next to the Hospital's Main entrance Philadelphia, PA
WHO:	Over 5,000 children are born at PAH each year, making it the largest maternity ward delivering the most babies annually in Philadelphia. Sadly, almost one fifth of these births require an admission to the Intensive Care Nursery (ICN) for various reasons ranging from minor infections to serious birth complications. PAH's Level III ICN currently houses 45 bassinets, including intensive care and transitional care sections. The Level III nursery (the highest level of medical care available) is staffed by physicians from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and nurses who specialize in infant intensive care. Because of the special bonds families and patients make with the ICN physicians, nurses, and staff, leaving the unit - often after many months - is a bittersweet experience for families upon discharge of their babies. PAH holds this reunion with families and patients that go back ten years for the opportunity to reconnect and renew bonds and celebrate the progress and lives of their former patients. "Close relationships are formed between the ICN staff working in the unit and the families because of the length of time some of the infants spend with us," said Kathleen Finnegan, MEd, Infant Development Specialist and ICN Coordinator. "We receive pictures and cards over the holidays but it’s not the same as seeing with our own eyes how the children have grown and how well they are doing. We all are all looking forward to seeing and reconnecting with the families." PAH staff organized a bake sale and a "Denim Day" fundraiser (where a five dollar donation permits employees to wear denim for a designated Friday) to help fund the ICN reunion making this event a true team effort between ICN staff and all hospital employees. Intensive Care Nursery at Pennsylvania Hospital Intensive Care Nursery at Pennsylvania Hospital

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Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 16 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $398 million awarded in the 2012 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Penn Medicine also includes additional patient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2012, Penn Medicine provided $827 million to benefit our community.