Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Grace Hsai Haberl and Erin Donnelly from Warmilu, as well as Patti Wagner, FOB Medical Director have arrived in San Pedro Sula to hold a week's worth of trainings and information gathering associated with the Rotary International Train the Trainer Global Grant that FOB is helping to implement. The Rotary Club of Farmville and the Merendon Rotary Club of San Pedro Sula have been the sponsors of this three year grant focusing on the continuing education and support of Neonatal Intensive Care personnel. The STABLE certification program has been presented during the last two years, certifying 100 medical professionals in the last year alone.
As a part of the grant, equipment is being purchased that will make a large impact on the successful care of these sick newborns. The Warmilu warming blanket will be an essential piece of equipment for use in keeping a sick newborn's temperature stable, thus decreasing the stress on the infant's already stressed system.
Today was spent training 10 of the 14 STABLE instructors in Honduras on the use and care of the warming blankets. The instructors were also shown a prototype of a lightweight, portable incubator designed by Erin Donnelly. The nurses shared several ideas about what helpful additions to the design could be.
Patti spent some time discussing plans for 2025 and the steps needed to make this program totally sustainable in Honduras by the end of this year. Time was spent sharing the challenges and impact of the STABLE program.
Several of the physicians in attendance shared that they saw a change in the level of care and understanding of the care being provided by their nursing staff who are now STABLE certified. One nurse shared that the staff she works with have named her Captain STABLE because of the passion she has shown for the information she has learned. All shared that they see many small changes being made in patient care and the improvement seen in patient outcomes.
Grace, Erin, Patti and Fernando spent the afternoon taking on the Merendon Mountains and hiked to the famous Coca Cola sign that can been seen from the city of San Pedro Sula. The 5 mile hike up the mountain and then back down provided lovely views of San Pedro Sula, sightings of parrots and mott mott birds and much sharing about Honduran culture, joys and challenges. We will definitely be sore tomorrow, but the views and sharing were well worth it.
Tomorrow the group will begin visiting hospital NICUs and talking with staff about the use of the Warmilu blankets in their NICUs.
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