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The Ronald McDonald Family Room at UAMS is a 2,000 sf Ronald McDonald House concept that serves families within the hospital. It includes:
- Four sleeping rooms
- Open concept kitchen - frozen meals and snacks provided
- Living and dining areas with coffee/beverage station
- Play area
- Laundry facilities
- Family bathroom with shower
“How do you care for toddlers in a NICU hospital setting? They pull cords and trip over machines—my 15-month old had the sliding glass door off the track 20 minutes after we arrived. Each day I had to make a choice: which child would receive my attention; my tiny sick baby or my 15-month old toddler? How do you choose between your children? With a Ronald McDonald Family Room steps away, families do not have to choose."
~ Briana A mother with a 15-month old toddler at home, a husband with a full-time job, and a baby born at 24-weeks, spent 122 days with her newborn in the NICU at UAMS. |
“I was pregnant with twins and we lost our son. During the first few weeks of our daughter’s life, everything was overwhelming and every waking hour was wrought with fear. A Ronald McDonald Family Room allows parents to retreat from the constant dings, bells, and buzzes of their baby’s NICU room into a quiet space so they can be in the best position to make vital decisions and be present both mentally and physically for their babies.”
~ Erin A mother with a full-time job, a husband who works out of town, and a baby born at 23 week who spent 128 days with her newborn in the NICU. |
Each year, there are nearly 1,000 families like Briana's and Erin's who need a place of respite while staying by their child's side in the UAMS NICU.
Why is your help needed? Briana's personal story is why.
What Is A Ronald McDonald Family Room?
When families walk into a Ronald McDonald Family Room, we want them to forget they are in a hospital. Often steps away from the NICU, pediatric or other such intensive care unit, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms offer a place to rest and regroup right at the hospital, just moments away from their sick child. Research shows that staying close by allows parents to better communicate with their child’s medical team and improves adherence to complicated treatment plans. Currently there are 138 such Rooms in the US and 250 worldwide.
Project Summary
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas recently opened its third program - a Ronald McDonald Family Room® at UAMS (RMFR). The RMFR at UAMS includes four overnight rooms where families can stay on the same floor as the NICU, with their other children and near their tiny baby’s room. Additionally, day services are available to all families who have a baby in the 64-bed NICU. This allows them to step away from the intense surroundings of the NICU for a moment of peace, a snack and cup of coffee, a meal, quick shower, laundry, and much more.
Project Background
A 2017-18 Practicum Team from the Clinton School of Public Services evaluated opportunities for program expansion and presented findings to the RMHCA board and staff leadership in April 2018. Their report included an unexpected, immediate need for services for families with a baby in the NICU at UAMS.
Project Need and Impact
When the University of Arkansas Clinton School Practicum Team shared their findings, we anticipated the need for additional rooms at the current, new House, built in 2016. The occupancy rate has consistently run 95-98%, which allows for room turnovers and maintenance, and a registered waiting list of 15-20 families each night. Many other families do not add their names to the waiting list due to its length.
However, we did not anticipate the urgent need at the UAMS NICU. Research findings included:
When families walk into a Ronald McDonald Family Room, we want them to forget they are in a hospital. Often steps away from the NICU, pediatric or other such intensive care unit, Ronald McDonald Family Rooms offer a place to rest and regroup right at the hospital, just moments away from their sick child. Research shows that staying close by allows parents to better communicate with their child’s medical team and improves adherence to complicated treatment plans. Currently there are 138 such Rooms in the US and 250 worldwide.
Project Summary
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas recently opened its third program - a Ronald McDonald Family Room® at UAMS (RMFR). The RMFR at UAMS includes four overnight rooms where families can stay on the same floor as the NICU, with their other children and near their tiny baby’s room. Additionally, day services are available to all families who have a baby in the 64-bed NICU. This allows them to step away from the intense surroundings of the NICU for a moment of peace, a snack and cup of coffee, a meal, quick shower, laundry, and much more.
Project Background
A 2017-18 Practicum Team from the Clinton School of Public Services evaluated opportunities for program expansion and presented findings to the RMHCA board and staff leadership in April 2018. Their report included an unexpected, immediate need for services for families with a baby in the NICU at UAMS.
Project Need and Impact
When the University of Arkansas Clinton School Practicum Team shared their findings, we anticipated the need for additional rooms at the current, new House, built in 2016. The occupancy rate has consistently run 95-98%, which allows for room turnovers and maintenance, and a registered waiting list of 15-20 families each night. Many other families do not add their names to the waiting list due to its length.
However, we did not anticipate the urgent need at the UAMS NICU. Research findings included:
- UAMS has a 64-bed NICU and operates the only high-risk pregnancy program in Arkansas. Of the 909 NICU babies in 2017, more than 50% of the families lived more than 25 miles away from the hospital.
- Siblings under the age of 18 may not stay at the hospital overnight; therefore, parents with a critically ill baby must choose between staying with their sick newborn or going home to care for other children. Families who live far from home experience logistical challenges and heavy financial burdens.
Thanks to the generous funding of these donors to date and people like you.
Any donation you can provide will be greatly appreciated! If you have any questions, please contact Emily Piechocki at emily@rmhcarkansas.org or 501-978-3119.
