What is it like to work as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse

who provides direct care for some of the tiniest and most vulnerable patients?

Monique King, RN, BSN, knows firsthand from working at the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans (CHNOLA).

We asked King about her work as a NICU nurse. What follows is our interview, edited for length and clarity.

How did you become interested in working as a NICU nurse? What drew you to it? How long have you been doing it?

From your first school-age years, when you are asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My answer has always been that of a baby nurse. When I made that statement, I did not know what that entailed or what I pictured my life would be. I have always loved babies. I was a nurse tech in the ER here throughout nursing school, and when I was asked if I wanted to be a NICU nurse, it was like a dream come true. I have been a NICU nurse at Children’s Hospital for almost 15 years.

Explain what a NICU nurse does. What types of patients do you serve? What do you provide for them? 

I could go on and on about what a NICU nurse does on a day-to-day basis. When a woman becomes pregnant, they usually have a picture-perfect image of how life will be. Unfortunately, it does not always go the way you had planned. As NICU nurses, we get to care for some of the smallest and most vulnerable patients. We are advocates for patients who can’t speak & for parents- at their weakest but also most joyful moments. We provide nursing care, just as any other specialty, but we also show our love for the babies, grow with the babies, and celebrate the good, the bad, the ugly! We provide comfort, promote bonding, administer medications and treatments, assist with surgeries, monitor vital signs, and more.

Did you need to get additional education for this position? Please explain.

We provide an extensive 12-week unit orientation and a 2-week hospital orientation for nurses. Our nurses are NRP and PALS certified and attend educational classes during their orientation.

What do you like most about working as a NICU nurse? 

I love watching our babies grow and thrive to the point of discharge. Some of our babies have been with us for months and have become like family. I also love my work family; we go through the most challenging times together and grow with each other through the years.

What are your biggest challenges as a NICU nurse? 

The biggest challenge as a NICU nurse is watching the family go through the hardest times, sometimes the unimaginable moments—the moments most never thought they would have to encounter in their lives. Being the strong one in the room when you want to be one of the weakest is a very challenging moment.

Do you have a favorite story about your job you’d like to share?

I have two favorite defining moments in my NICU career so that I will be brief. We had a set of twins who had been with us for many months. We went through happy moments, the death of family, sad moments, scary moments-basically all the moments. The entire family was like our family, but this one particular family member became our “Pawpaw.” He brought us milk and fresh donuts every single Saturday for a year. Even when he was hospitalized, he called a family member to ensure we were brought our Saturday morning treat. When the twin brother was finally discharged home, Pawpaw still brought us donuts for the longest time. When Pawpaw became sick, our NICU family came together and provided gifts, money, and meals to his children. This shows that, as NICU nurses, our love and care do not end at discharge. My other sweet story is one of my primary patients. Many thought he would not leave this hospital, but with our care and medical expertise, he did. We still keep in contact with the family and attend birthday parties, as well as this particular family attends my own children’s birthday parties. This is a perfect example when I say their family becomes our family. These two families and many more throughout my career are my WHY! These are the moments of why, even on the darkest days, I continue to show up!

What are your most significant rewards as one? 

As mentioned above, the most significant reward is watching someone’s baby being discharged from the hospital. As parents, they have watched their pride and joy fight hard and encounter hard things. The joy and smiles on their faces as they walk down the NICU halls for the last time are priceless.

Is there anything else that is important for our readers to know?

I would not be the nurse or person I am today without my co-workers and work family. They helped shape who I am and carried me through some of my career’s most challenging and best times. Children’s NICU is my home, my safe place, and the place I love to call “work.” My parents always quoted Mark Twain—and it is totally true: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never work a day in your life.”

The post A Day in the Life: NICU Nurse first appeared on Daily Nurse.