The MercyOne Waterloo Foundation received a Variety Grant to help improve care in the MercyOne Waterloo Birth Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The grant helped fund the purchase of the NeoView Video Intubation System for the NICU. The state-of-the-art NeoView enables video laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in the most fragile patients. The device can be used for infants weighing less than one kg.
Most premature infants require intubation with a breathing tube because of their immature lungs. The NeoView provides real-time video of the infant’s airway. MercyOne Waterloo Birth Center is the only Level III NICU in the area, stabilizing and transferring infants 24-27 weeks gestation to a higher level of care, and can admit at 28 weeks gestation and above.
The visualization allows for quicker and more accurate intubations than the traditional intubation process without a camera.
Erica LeClair, MD, neonatologist at MercyOne
The NeoView also enables non-invasive surfactant administration. Surfactant is a compound that prevents the alveoli (tiny air sacs in the lungs) from collapsing and sticking together during exhalation. The NeoView allows the physician to deliver the surfactant to the lungs without inserting a breathing tube. The process would be less invasive and decrease the risks associated with intubating infants.
The addition of the NeoView will significantly impact the birth center's daily operations. With over 950 births each year at MercyOne Waterloo, the new video intubation system will affect more than 20 percent of all births on average admitted to the NICU with lung issues.
Kymm Ehler, MSN, RN, MercyOne Director of Maternal-Child Services
About Variety's Grant Program
Each year, children’s nonprofits from across Iowa are invited to apply for grant funding that supports programs aligned with the mission of Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa and our commitment to caring for children in need.
Organizations selected for funding complete a rigorous, multi step review process throughout the summer. This includes interviews with our board members, detailed evaluation by our finance committee, and meetings with subcommittees to ensure every dollar awarded delivers the greatest possible impact for children across our state.
Variety provides funding to nonprofit organizations that deliver care, treatment, activities, and shelter to children who are at risk, underprivileged, critically ill, or living with special needs. We focus our support on brick and mortar projects, equipment, and other tangible items that directly benefit children. Administrative expenses such as staffing, salaries, and office space, along with other intangible costs, are not eligible for funding.
That level of care is what sets Variety apart. When you donate to Variety, you can trust that your generosity goes directly toward helping children. Your support funds meaningful resources and hands on assistance that create real and lasting change in young lives across Iowa.
