Texas Health Presbyterian to close labor/delivery unit in Kaufman

Texas Health Presbyterian will close its labor and delivery unit at its Kaufman hospital.

In addition to hundreds of woman now needing to find a new hospital, many of the hospital's nurses say the move is taking away their long-time jobs.

"It is a shift in women seeking OB services. They are seeking it in the larger cities,” said Patsy Youngs, President, Texas Health Presbyterian Kaufman.

For mothers in labor in the Kaufman area, the move will mean a long drive to the nearest hospital with an OB unit. Texas Health Dallas and Athens Limestone Hospital are both about 40 minutes away from Kaufman without traffic.

"Usually you know when you're going into labor and you have more than 30 minutes to get to the location you are going to,” Youngs said.

But a nurse who spoke with FOX4 without showing her face had concerns.

“There are women who deliver within 7 minutes of arriving there,” the nurse said.

The hospital said its E.R. will still accept women whose delivery is eminent. In the rare cases of an emergency C-section, Texas Health said paramedics would transport the mother to Dallas.

The closure is also ending the practice of Kaufman's only OB doctor.

Nurses with years of experience said they will only be offered a severance package if Texas Health Dallas does not offer them a new job. Texas Health Kaufman said it will funnel the OB's resources into the hospital's E.R. and trauma center.