|
Flag This
|
Come to the Nurses for Newborns Happy Hour this Wednesday, November 4, from 5:30 - 8:30 at the 12th South Taproom and Grille! Support the families of medically fragile babies with your $5 donation, and enjoy drink specials and great times!
Nurses for Newborns Foundation of Tennessee
ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION
Every month in Tennessee, hundreds of medically challenged infants are born. Many of these infants are born to families who are not equipped to handle the mental, physical, emotional, and financial challenges that accompany a medically fragile baby. New parents, especially those who are mentally, physically, or financially challenged, often feel overwhelmed, alone, and desperate. Nurses for Newborns Foundation provides support for these at-risk families. NFNF dispatches registered nurses to the homes of at-risk families in order to assess the newborns' health and provide care. The NFNF nurses also provide parenting skills education, health education, certain essential supplies, and support for new parents of medically fragile infants.
Tennessee currently ranks 47th in the nation for infant mortality (infants who die in the first year of life).
In an average week in Tennessee,
1572 babies are born.
207 are born to teenage mothers (ages 15-19).
230 are born preterm.
149 are born at a low birth weight (less than 5.5 lbs).*
These infants and mothers desperately need your help. With your support, Nurses for Newborns Foundation can help reduce infant mortality and make a significant impact on families across Tennessee.
WHO DO WE SERVE?
Nurses for Newborns Foundation serves at-risk families of new infants, who fall under any of the following categories:
- Families with a medically fragile infant
- Families living in poverty
- Families who lack access to medical resources
- Families dealing with mental or physical limitation or illness
- Families dealing with drug or alcohol addiction
- Families dealing with social isolation
- Families who have recently immigrated to the United States
- Families who lack parenting skills
- Families dealing with past child abuse or neglect.
Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee serves Davidson, Maury, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner and Williamson Counties.
*March of Dimes Peristats
MISSION STATEMENT
Nurses for Newborns is a registered nurse based, home visitation program dedicated to reducing infant mortality by providing health care, parenting skills education and support to at-risk families.
WHAT SERVICES DO WE OFFER?
Nurses for Newborns Foundation provides the following services to pregnant women, new mothers, and infants:
- Registered Nurse home visits
- Comprehensive health assessments at each visit
- Education about growth and development, safety issues, health care decisions, healthy and positive parenting skills, and availability of community resources
- 24 hour a day, 7 day a week phone support
- Basic supplies, including diapers, clothing, and formula
- Support for families trying to become more resourceful and independent.
WHAT PROGRAMS DO WE OFFER?
Nurses for Newborns Foundation provides certain services through the following programs:
Teen Parent
This program serves pregnant teens (under the age of nineteen) during pregnancy. Teens are educated about how to care for their child as well as for themselves during pregnancy and motherhood.
Safe Beginnings
This program serves pregnant women, or women who have recently given birth, who are mentally or physically challenged.
Bridge to the Future
This program supports medically fragile infants, who have typically been discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit, and their families.
All programs offered by Nurses for Newborns Foundation may continue until an infant reaches 24 months of age.
Our nurses conduct physical assessments to detect deteriorating health conditions that can be treated before they become crises. They teach infant care, including administering infant CPR, clearing an airway, infant feeding, and recognizing when an infant is sick. They teach parenting skills, coping techniques, and general infant and toddler safety measures. They provide critical baby items and food for families with emergency needs.
WHAT DIFFERENCES DO WE MAKE?
Health
Our nurses protect and promote the health and happiness of babies by making physical assessments, providing childcare education, and acting as advocates within the healthcare system.
Hope
Many of the mothers in our programs experience isolation, despair, and panic. Our nurses help them replace these emotions with self-respect, restored confidence, and renewed hope.
Harmony
Our nurses strengthen families by providing them with the tools to create a positive family environment, and break the cycles of abuse and poverty.
Nurses for Newborns is making a difference in families and our community by:
- Reducing child abuse and neglect
- Improving infant immunization rates
- Preventing household injuries and promoting child safety
- Decreasing inappropriate Emergency Room and hospital visits
- Increasing the number of babies with health coverage.
Since October of 2001, Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee has completed over 32,000 home visits to families across Middle Tennessee. In 2008 alone, NFNF provided over 4,400 home visits to over 800 families. With help from United Way, our corporate sponsors, and your generous donations of time and money, NFNF can continue saving babies, strengthening families.
How can you help?
Nurses for Newborns Foundation is funded, in part, by the United Way Agencies in the counties served thus far: Davidson, Maury, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, and Williamson Counties. It is also supported by foundations such as the Baptist Healing Trust, The Community Foundation, The Frist Foundation, HCA Foundation, The Predators Foundation, and the Memorial Fund. Companies such as Baptist Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, IREM, and Middle Tennessee Electric Company also support Nurses for Newborns Foundation efforts. The Tennessee Titans sponsor multiple activities each year as well, including our annual Diaper Drive.
NFNF depends largely on the support of individuals like yourself, who want to join in the mission of saving babies, strengthening families. The following are ways in which we desperately need you to become involved:
- Fundraising and Donations
- Event Planning Committees
- Baby Shower and Supply Drive Organization
- Office Support and Donation Sorting/Distributing
Please contact us to learn more about Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee, sign up for our eNewsletter, and get involved!
Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee
50 Vantage Way, Suite 101
Nashville, TN 37228
Phone: (615) 313 - 9989
Fax: (615) 313 - 9979
Edit This
(November 5, 2009 9:20 PM)
Site Help
RSS FEED
This page has 2 comments.