WE LOVE OUR NICU NURSES - Sarah has been a nurse in the Neonatal ICU (NICU) since 2005. The NICU she works at is a Level III - 40 Bed Unit in Miami. She serves as the Charge Nurse as well as the Clinical Coordinator. Sarah is married and has 2 daughters, ages 5 and 6.
Quick Call Outs from the Episode:
- A Clinical Coordinator oversees the care of all of the patients in the NICU as well as the work of the nurses assigned to them.
- Nurses, babies, and families form bonds through the difficult and overwhelming time that they are going through while in the NICU, sometimes those bonds continue beyond the NICU.
- As you prepare to leave the NICU, don’t forget to take care of yourself, acknowledge the emotions you’re going through, and remember that having a support team can really be helpful.
- Journaling while in the NICU is also helpful, if you’re experiencing one of those days where your baby has a setback, then looking though the journal to see how far they have come can really help.
- Not every day in the NICU is a “good day” or a “bad day” where progress is made or setbacks are experienced. Sometimes “nothing” happens and you can take that as a win too.
- After the NICU, talk about your experiences and share what your life looks like with your baby at home. Talk to friends, family, and maybe even join a support group!
- You may need to isolate physically due to having a medically fragile baby, but by talking and sharing with others, it can help prevent you from isolating emotionally.
- It's ok to remain cautious as your baby grows and becomes stronger. You can be empowered to set boundaries when you feel like you may need to take a more protective approach as your child is exposed to situations where they may be around others who are sick.
- We can't control everything - and your baby is going to get sick... But you can be creative. Carry hand sanitizer, have masks on hand if you start to feel like you’d be most comfortable having others wear a mask while they hold your child for a season, get together outdoors when possible so that you don't feel like you can't socialize with others and still gather together.
- If you think of any questions for Sarah, you can connect with her through her email (siverson1110@gmail.com).
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A special thanks to the Prolacta Bioscience Foundation for supporting the NICU Alumni podcast!
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The purpose of this podcast is for entertainment only and should not be viewed as medical advice.