Two new jet ventilators expand life‑saving care in St. B’s NICU.
March 25, 2026
As more babies are born at earlier gestational ages, the demand for specialized respiratory support has never been greater.
Thanks to high-frequency jet ventilators funded by donors like you, St. Boniface Hospital can meet this challenge head-on. They are ensuring that even the most fragile newborns have immediate access to technology designed to protect their tiny lungs.
These jet ventilators deliver small, rapid puffs of air to inflate fragile lungs. They are designed for premature babies whose lungs cannot tolerate traditional ventilation. This method is the gentlest form of respiratory support available, helping babies breathe without risking long-term damage.
“For the babies who’re born at very early gestation — like 22, 23, or 24 weeks — they go straight to the jet,” said Kelly Nickart, Clinical Service Lead – Respiratory Therapy at the Hospital. “That’s the safest option for very premature lungs, and as technology advances, we’re able to help babies that are smaller and smaller.”
Answering a rising demand
Before these two new machines arrived, St. B’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) had only two jet ventilators. During busy periods, staff sometimes needed to coordinate bringing one or more on loan over from Health Sciences Centre.
“We used to have to get a five-ton truck to haul them back and forth, so just the ease of having more in the building has been huge,” said Nickart. “This past summer, we needed five at one point, which is the most I’ve seen in 10 years working here.”
“The need has definitely grown.”
For the NICU team, that uncertainty created a stressful undercurrent during already intense moments.
“There’s a level of anxiety that grows when we worry about whether we’re going to have enough equipment,” said Kwabena Osei-Bonsu, Manager of Respiratory Therapy at St. B. “Having that capacity and the impact of knowing that, when something happens, the equipment is already here, makes all the difference.”
For NICU staff, knowing a ventilator will be available isn’t just a logistical relief; it’s an emotional one. It allows them to focus fully on caring for the baby in front of them.
It’s not just staff who feel the difference. Having immediate access to twice as many jet ventilators gives NICU families relief at a time that feels uncertain. Parents describe how overwhelming it is to see their baby supported by so much equipment, but knowing it’s the gentlest option helps to ease some of that fear.
“The jets are so crucial because there’s no other machine like them on the market, so there’s nothing else we can replace them with,” said Nickart. “Having enough for the babies who come through our doors is huge, and we’re very grateful for the donors’ help.”