Yellowknife (Apr 11/03) - Nurses, babies and Sonja Boucher-Mair will benefit from Stanton Territorial Hospital's annual Dr. Pierre Lessard Education award.

This year's winner is using the $2,000 to take a S.T.A.B.L.E. instructional course in New Jersey for two days next month.

When she's done she'll be able to teach other Yellowknife nurses about the S.T.A.B.L.E. program. The acronym, which stands for sugar, temperature, assisted breathing, blood pressure, lab work and emotional support to family, is designed to assist nurses with neonatal care.

Boucher-Mair is a registered nurse in Stanton's obstetrics ward where she works as a labour and delivery nurse. She's worked at Stanton since 1994 and is continually upgrading her education.

Last year she was the first Stanton nurse to take S.T.A.B.L.E..

She said it takes four to five hours for a medical team from Alberta to prepare for an emergency obstetrics situation like a premature baby. It's important to stabilize the infant to minimize stress and maximize survival, said Boucher-Mair.

The Dr. Pierre Lessard Education award was started in 1991 and is given to Stanton staff members who are pursuing higher education.

The $2,000 award will pay for her airfare and course registration.

The rest is paid for by Boucher-Mair.

Boucher-Mair plans to co-teach S.T.A.B.L.E. in Yellowknife this summer.