~Kristin Howard
Last week during a very busy day in the NICU, we were called to the emergency c/s of 27 week twins who were expected to be very sick. Things were a little tense and slightly chaotic in the OR. We got both babies back to the NICU and I sat down at a computer to put in orders while the baby was getting surfactant. I started chatting with a student nurse who had been observing the delivery and admission. I felt like I just blurted out some random “fun facts” about placentation in twins, twin-to-twin transfusions syndrome, fetoscopic laser ablation and preemie care. I didn’t think much about the conversation and went to put in umbilical lines. When I was finishing up, one of the nurses came by and asked who had taken the time to tell her student “everything about the babies.” I mentioned that I had a brief discussion with a student but it certainly did not cover everything. She told me that whatever it was that I said had her student just beaming. The student had gone back to her preceptor and told her all the things I had “taught” her in that simple conversation. The nurse thanked me for taking the time to work with that student and how much of an impact it made. It made me realize that the little things really do make a difference. If the nurse hadn’t come by to talk to me, I probably wouldn’t even remember the discussion had taken place. But to that student, it was much more than a simple talk in the hallway. I always said I wanted to be one of those people that made a difference for students and new nurses but I was so caught up in the busy day that I almost didn’t realize, maybe I am…
~Kristin Howard
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The holidays really are the most wonderful time of year. It’s a time for love, laughter, togetherness, and reminiscence of what we are most thankful for. I am thankful I get to add the NICU to my list this year and many aspects that go along with it. Have you thought recently about what makes your life better in the NICU?
Something that has really stood out as I have been transitioning to a neonatal nurse, are the many nurses that I can look to as mentors. As a student nurse I had heard the phrase “nurses eat their young” and it really intimidated me. You see, I want that knowledge and skill they have and I look up to those experienced nurses. Thankfully, this has not been my experience at all! I have been so welcomed by my UNC Newborn Critical Care Center family and am blessed by the amount of knowledge that I learn from them everyday. I am so thankful for my preceptors and the fact that they put all their hard work into molding me and the fellow new graduates on my unit into the best NICU nurses we can be. Even nurses that aren’t my preceptor take the time to help me if I need it and teach me their “tricks of the trade.” This kind of warmness fosters a great environment for learning that will ultimately benefit our tiny patients and their families. Kudos to those of you who are leading us to confidence and competence. You truly don’t know how thankful we are for mentors like you. If you find yourself with a new nurse on your unit, I challenge you to take her or him under your wing and teach them everything you know and love about the NICU. You will make a difference in a young nurse’s life and they will be eternally grateful for your kindness and knowledge. I know I am. -Kristina Johnson I’m thankful for the little moments. The moments that make the heart breaking, gut wrenching days all worth it. The moments that remind you how a place that can leave you feeling completely crushed and devastated is also a place that has the ability restore your faith in humanity. Those moments may come as a few peaceful seconds when you finally get to place an infant in it’s mothers arms after she has waited weeks to hold her baby. They can also come amid chaos when you are struggling to save a baby and briefly make eye contact with a new Dad who simply mouths the words, thank you. Sometimes it’s simply a co-worker who knows without saying a word that you need a hug and an inappropriate joke. You never know when one of those moments will happen but they can leave a lasting impact. They are what keep us going.
Last summer, I attended the delivery of an extremely premature infant who was not expected to survive. Due to unexpected circumstances the mom delivered the baby in the middle of the night before any of her family could get to the hospital. I swaddled the very tiny infant and rocked him quietly in the corner of the room until she was ready to hold him for the first and last time. A few weeks later, a small blue envelope arrived at the NICU desk, it was a letter from that mom. I will never forget the words she wrote, “I don’t remember many details of that night but I know a large crew of people waited to meet my son, hoping to bring him back to life but he never took a breath. I remember a nurse staying with him until I was ready to hold him… I remember beautiful strangers ready to fight for my son’s life. Thank you for trying, thank you for caring.” I still have the letter, reading it reminds me that sometimes the smallest, instinctive, gesture in a moment of grief -that you don’t think anyone noticed- can make the biggest difference. A few weeks later I was paged to an emergent c-section for loss of fetal heart tones. The NICU team and I raced to the OR and prepared for the worst. The OB team had the baby out in what felt like seconds and handed me a beautiful, term baby girl who let out the loudest, most amazing cry. After things calmed down and I sat with the new dad in the PACU, I watched this big, burley man almost melt as his newborn daughter grabbed his finger. He started shaking his head and whispered, “Damn, that’s some amazing s***, man!” All I could do was smile and agree. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos that is the NICU but in that moment I was reminded that what we do really is pretty awesome. Those little moments, that may not last more than a few seconds, often touch your heart so deeply, they leave you a different person. The moments that are all to easily taken for granted, those are the moments I am thankful for. I think Winnie-the-Pooh said it best, “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in our heart.” ~ Kristin Howard NANN's President, Pam Spivey, blogs to us from the American Nurses Association Organizational Affiliates meeting in Tampa, FL:
Hi everybody, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. It's the time of year where we reflect on what we are truly thankful for - change of seasons, special time with family and friends, football, Pecan Pie :-) Yes, there will be great food, games, and lots of laughter. I'd love to bottle up this Thanksgiving feeling and bring it out during the year when we are trudging along in our daily, busy work life. I was reminded today when I heard Rick Bluni, author of Inspired Nurse, speak that we can! Today Rick reminded us to spend time daily thinking about what we are grateful for, the good that has happened today. Some people write what they are thankful for and put it in a gratitude jar, then they get the notes out from time to time to rejuvenate their point of view. Others write in journals (that's me) or in the margins of great books (me too). I've shared these writings with friends, colleagues, and most recently with Nurse Residents when they are in the midst of Reality Shock or when they just need a boost. Rick's book Inspired Nurse reminds me of the absolutely wonderful profession of Nursing and how we make a difference each day. It's in our DNA! It's our calling and we are thankful for the opportunity. Share your stories of the thanksgiving this season - tell your stories, hug your colleagues and let them know... We make a difference in the lives of our tiny, sick patients and their families every day. Our work is purposeful and honorable. Remember that nursing is the most trusted profession. We are privileged to be a part of their lives in the beginning of the precious moments of birth and yes, sometimes in the midst of sorrow as their baby dies. Thank you for your talents and passion as a neonatal nurse. YOU are making a difference in the lives of our neonatal patients, their families and in each other. Happy Thanksgiving, Pam As the Holiday season approaches, I feel this year I have more to be thankful for than ever before. At work, I am grateful for all of my NICU co-workers who have made my career so rewarding and help me to continue to grow and learn every day. I am also thankful for my new co-workers at the University who have watched me grow from an undergraduate nursing student and have always been so supportive. At home, I am thankful for my family and their constant love and support. I am currently pregnant with my first child and I am especially grateful for the health of our baby and for my continued good health during the pregnancy. This past year has been one of the best and I look forward to the year ahead, especially with the arrival of my little guy sometime in March. I am enjoying each day of this pregnancy and taking lots of pictures at the suggestions of everyone! Below is one of my weekly photos from the week we found out we’re having a boy! - Carrie-Ellen Briere
Today is one of those days that truly shows me the impact that NICU nurses make on the families we care for. Over the weekend, our NICU had a reunion for families who were discharged in the past 5 years. I was unable to attend because I was away, but this morning one of our neonatologists found me to give me a note and a picture from a beautiful little girl. She was my primary patient for her many-month stay almost 4 years ago. It blows me away to see how big and healthy she looks today when it seems like just yesterday she was fighting for her tiny life. I think seeing these patients and hearing these stories many years later is one of my favorite parts of being a NICU nurse. I feel so lucky to have been a part of their lives and it is amazing to watch them grow up and be able to appreciate where they started. My message for you today is that when you are having a busy day and can’t seem to catch a break, just remember you are changing the world for the patients you have. Go NICU nurses!
- Carrie-Ellen Brier, PhD RN CLC When asked to be a guest blogger, I reflected on what I might share from my experiences that could help other members. One question that often comes up is “How do I become more involved in NANN or NANNP?” So I’d like to share some insights into this sometimes daunting, but ultimately rewarding process. First, congratulations on being a member of NANN/P! That really is your first step; it demonstrates that you are committed to advancing yourself professionally and value the networking and information that can only come from being part of your professional nursing organization. Next, look for opportunities. These can come in many forms, for some it may be participating at the local level through a NANN chapter. For others it’s signing up for listservs on MyNANN and participating in discussions. And of course there is attending the annual conference which offers countless opportunities for networking. Still others increase their engagement by answering a call for volunteers. Calls for volunteers are posted on the nann.org website under the Member Center tab and Volunteer Opportunities link and may also be advertised in NANN E-news, E-Alerts, NANN Central, Smart Brief and MyNANN. Each volunteer opportunity listed includes the formal charge to the taskforce, the length of service expected from the volunteer, and the education and experience sought. CVs, statements of interest, and a completed Volunteer & Conflict of Interest Form will be collected from candidates to assist the taskforce chair in selecting members. This is a great way to become involved in the leadership of NANN/P. With experience on taskforces or committees under your belt, a next step could be serving as a taskforce or committee chair. Leading a workgroup for NANN/P allows further leadership growth opportunities and increased networking with NANN Board and NANNP Council members. This is usually a two year commitment, but may vary depending on the committee. Members that have served on or lead taskforces or committees often become interested in running for a NANN Board or NANNP Council position. These are elected positions that also require a minimum of a two year commitment. It is an exciting and rewarding experience to be part of NANN/P’s leadership team at all levels of engagement. We welcome new and experienced nurses and NNPs that are interested in exploring the possibilities of increased engagement with NANN and NANNP. All Board and Council members are available through MyNANN and would be happy to assist you in your leadership endeavors. - Susan Meier, NANNP Council Chair “Why NICU?” I have been asked this question probably more times than I can count. I’ve been asked by family, friends, teachers, my employer, even complete strangers when they find out what I do and love so dearly. Each time I’m asked, I flood with emotion on the inside. Emotions of happiness, joy, anger, excitement, sadness, and most of all hope. Every time I’m asked, I don’t know where to start because the truth is I could spend all day talking about “Why NICU?”.
As a former NICU parent, people are often taken aback as to why I would want to reenter the world that most people associate with scariness, pain, and heartbreak. Honestly, the NICU is none of those things to me. Yes, I did experience being scared, pain, and heartbreak as a parent in the NICU and even as a nurse. However, the NICU is not defined by those small aspects. What most people (except us), don’t get to see, are the good days. They don’t get to see the wonder and confusion of new parents as they see their tiny baby for the first time. They don’t get to see the excitement on the faces of mom and dad when we tell them their little one gained a few ounces like we told them they won the lottery. They don’t get to see how peaceful and content a sick baby becomes when held skin to skin by their mama. They don’t see the miracles we see everyday, the obstacles that are overcome, the sadness that is overthrown by a simple joy. When asked” Why NICU?” Most of the time I just say, “It’s where I learned to never take the little things for granted. It’s so intense, so beautiful, and I see miracles everyday.” - Kristina Johnson Having fun representing NANN at the Magnet conference. Learning and growing with fellow NANN members and other wonderful nurses from all over the United States and internationally! Just last month we were meeting together and heard that the future is now! A quote by Peter Drucker was shared today and really resonated in my heart and my head. He said,
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." Lets continue to elevate Our voices as we create the future of neonatal nursing Right Now! How are you creating your future and the future of the patients and families you care for everyday? I can't wait to hear from you! NANN's Neonatal Connection bloggers had a great time at the 30th Annual Educational Conference. Check out everything they are did below and follow them along on their journey! Pictured (from left to right): Courtney Prewitt, Carrie-Ellen Briere, and Kristin Howard Kristin Howard Wednesday, September 10, 2014 I could feel the Arizona heat the moment I stepped off the plane in Phoenix! Fall is in the air in Denver it is supposed to snow there this week so I will be enjoying the warmth while I can! After checking in to the hotel and exploring downtown and little, my research partner (Michelle) and I found a place to relax and get pedicures. My mom, who is a nurse, insists it is good luck to get a pedicure before a presentation. Hoping to ward off evil spirits, Michelle and I made sure to follow through so the good juju will be with us on Friday when we present! Then, we went over to the Welcome Reception and, after riding what felt like every elevator in the building because we got lost, checked in and headed to the exhibit hall. Michelle and I found several of our colleagues from Denver and caught up on everyone's take of the Arizona weather and forecast for Denver this week. I thoroughly enjoyed the snacks and may-or-may-not have dropped hummus on myself.. oops! I was able to say hello to some of the nurses I met at the NANN Research Summit this past April. I visited several booths and scoped out who has the best give aways and of course best info for our babies! On the way out, I ran in to a childhood mentor of mine from my hometown in Wyoming! I've only been in Phoenix for a few hours but the conference is off to a great start! It is always humbling to step back and realize how many talented and dedicated nurses I will be surrounded by this week. Thursday, September 11, 2014 Feeling energized for the conference, I got up early this morning and went to the hotel gym to get in a work out. I apologize to anyone who had the unfortunate experience to witness my near death experience on the treadmill.. so much for my work out, the best laid plans! Anyway, Michelle and I had fresh, hot coffee delivered to our room promptly at 06:00 (well worth the $3.50 delivery charge!) I regained my composure after the treadmill incident and headed over to the opening presentation. I couldn't help but smile and try to suppress the urge to dance when I walked in and heard Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy with it" playing overhead. Dr. Bondurant kicked off the conference by calling on Kid President to help motivate us to make a difference. I think he is one of my new idols! I thoroughly enjoyed the dysmorphology lecture, who doesn't love a good game of guess the syndrome?! After the morning sessions we had time to roam the exhibit hall and make sure we hadn't missed anything yesterday and got the down-low on all the new technologies available for our babies. Then we learned about blood transfusion related NEC and (just like everything else in Neonatology) we still don't have the prefect answer. However, Dr. Marin was a great speaker and gave a wonderful presentation. Michelle and I went to the dinner symposium this evening, CEUs and good food, my favorite way to learn!! Amid all the learning, I did take a few minutes to photo bomb some lovely nurses I met in line at dinner and couldn't help but take a picture of the amazing desserts! Now, we are relaxing by the pool and reviewing our presentation for tomorrow. Not a bad way to spend the evening considering my family in Northeast Wyoming has been sending me pictures of the snow they got last night! I hope everyone enjoyed the day as much as I did (other than the treadmill mishap!) Friday, September 12, 2014 Today was all about successes. After yesterdays catastrophe on the treadmill, I decided to be a little more cautious and rode the stationary bike instead. I'm thrilled to report that my workout was successfully completed without any more near death experiences! Michelle and I headed over to presentations this morning but were both uncharacteristically quiet due to nerves setting in about our upcoming presentation. I spent most of the break searching for the booth with the best breath mints to keep with me for my talk. I'm not sure who I thought was going to be that close to me but none the less, I was on a mission. I think I ingested enough peppermint to have fresh breath for the next six days, successful mission! We then headed in to hear the marvelous Mary Coughlin speak about Trauma-Informed care. I don't think there was a single NICU nurse in the room who couldn't identify with her when she mentioned not getting to the bathroom or lunch for an entire shift because we were worried about one of our babies. Just the thought made me want to run to the restroom! During the lunch break, Michelle and I went over our presentation just one last time and made a few last minute additions.. my brother sent me a "knock knock" joke I just had to include (see attached). I didn't see anyone fall out of their chair in a sleep induced coma during our presentation so I'm gonna say it was a success! After our presentation met up with our Denver colleagues to take a group picture in front of a conference sign. Anyone who has ever tried to take a group picture of a bunch of women knows how long it can take to first convince everyone to be in the picture and second to get everyone lined up for the picture. (It may have been slightly less efficient than trying to herd cats). Then, we had to retake the picture several times because someone had their eyes closed, someone else thought they looked wide, someone else thought they looked like they were wearing pajamas, and so on... Finally, we managed to get a picture the entire group agreed was OK for our NNP newletter, another success! Michelle and I then had to take a less formal picture because that is the kind of people we are! After the final presentations of the day we wrote ourselves prescriptions, per Mary Coughlin's orders, for some relaxing pool time and a mexican feast. I successfully ate enough chips and salsa to completely cancel out both of my morning workouts! Overall, the day was filled with many successes, some more important than others, but isn't that how life in the NICU goes too? Saturday, September 13, 2014 After our mexican fiesta last night Michelle and I had a hard time peeling ourselves out of bed this morning for an early talk about oxygen toxicity. However, we did manage to stumble over to the conference center and were revived by the bottemless coffee served during the presentation! After our caffeine fix, we went to Mary Wyckoff and Dr Ellingson's lecture about Pan Resistant organisms... WOW! Both Michelle and I voted this to be one of our most favorite presentations of the whole conference. The statistics they presented were staggering and really made you think twice about the way we practice. Thank you for sharing, great job ladies!! Dr. Clark sent us out with inspiring words to empower each of us to make a difference in our own units and in the field of nursing. Now the real work begins, bringing all this new information back to our units and putting it in to practice! Michelle and I managed to squeeze in just a little pool time before we headed to the airport and back to Denver. We were welcomed back with a bluebird sky and gorgeous Colorado sunset. It was a great conference but I am always happy to be home. Tomorrow, I will return to the NICU with a renewed determination to improve the lives of our babies! Thank you to everyone for all their hard work, not only during the conference, but on a daily basis while on the front lines of the NICU!! Carrie-Ellen BriereThursday, September 11, 2014 Today was the first day of the conference and it was quite a day filled with meeting new people and learning about what is going on in Neonatal care. This year I received one of the 2014 NANN Small Grants Research Awards and my day started with receiving this award at the opening session. It was a huge room and I was nervous about getting up but fortunately I didn't trip on the stage! During the opening session they also gave out awards to NICU professionals who have made a significant impact in neonatal care. It was so impressive to hear about what these people have done in their careers and how they have impacted the NICU. At the first session of the day I went to a genetic talk that went over assessing for genetic syndromes and the different dysmorphic features that we encounter in the NICU. During lunch I spent an hour in the NANN Research Institute Steering Council's booth and was able to hear about what some NICU nurses and nurse practitioners are doing in their units, as well as meet one of the other Grant recipients from this year. This afternoon I heard about current evidence on breastmilk in the NICU and I look forward to going back over my notes later. It has been a very busy day and I'm finishing it out with another session and then attending the poster session to answer questions about my poster. I hope everyone that is here is enjoying the conference and I urge anyone reading this who isn't here, to definitely consider coming next year. It is so exciting to be surrounded by so many other NICU nurses who love their job as much as I do! Friday, September 12, 2014 Who would of thought that I could lose a sweater in a place where it is 103 degrees? My first (and hopefully only!) loss of the conference is my favorite white cardigan... just in time for the crisp fall temperatures when I return home to Connecticut -- I guess a shopping trip is in order! Other than that sad start to the day, I enjoyed the annual business meeting and a session on the crazy amounts of chemicals that we subject our bodies (and our NICU babies) to every day... as soon as I got out of there I began looking at how bad some of the cosmetic products I use are -- yikes! In the general session today Mary Coughlin talked about the importance of taking care of ourselves so that we can take better care of others. Sometimes that lesson is lost in our every day life and I know I need to be better about it.... I'm sure many of you can relate too. To start this promise to myself off right, I ate my lunch quickly and headed to the pool to read for a few minutes between sessions. After the next session I headed back to my poster to answer questions and had some great discussions with people. One person even approached me with the assumption I had never actually worked in the NICU before and wanted me to validate myself! As a 27 year old who still gets carded for "R" movies, this was not anything new, but really makes me kind of laugh at what people must think when they realize I'm not in high school, and I even have my PhD....Who else gets mistaken for their age all the time? I'd love to hear some funny stories! (I have plenty from families in the NICU as well!) Anyways, to end the day I went with my friend and colleague to dinner at a Greek restaurant down the street and ended with an amazing ice cream from Coldstone Creamery. I'm looking forward to the final sessions tomorrow and am excited to see what Dallas has in store for me next year! Here are my AZ facts of the day: Everything is spicy in AZ... even the brownies! It is so hot here that even the pool water barely does anything to cool you off! Courtney PrewittThursday, September 11, 2014 The 30th Annual NANN Conference is off to an amazing start! The city of Phoenix is filled with so much beauty and culture, however the HEAT is in a league of it’s own!! Everything is fresh and exciting-- even the fun I’m having with the badge labels. The running joke is that my name badge will be down to my knees by then end of the conference). My vote for next year... badge labels with prints and patterns (cheetah, chevron, etc.). Today was an exciting day for Texas Children’s Hospital! Kudos to Dr. Patricia Bondurant (Keynote Speaker), Shannon Holland (Presenter), Alexandria Luton (Presenter), Dr. Paul Checchia (Presenter), Barbara Levy (NANN Scholarship Recipient), and last but not least Pamela Spivey, NANN President-Elect. Today’s sessions were great! Listed below are my ‘Session Highlights’:
I want to hear from you! Pam Spivey Tuesday, September 9, 2014 The NANN Board of Directors met today and some pictures are below. I really enjoyed the conversations that we shared and truly believe that we have a great conference and year ahead of us. Wednesday, September 10, 2014
I had a blast today! After attending meetings this morning doing the work of the organization for our members, I got to laugh and network with "old" and new friends in NANN's first speed networking session. It was loads of fun! Thursday, September 11, 2014 Boy am I tired! Up by 6am, Starbucks for my 'usual' only with an extra shot of espresso, then off to the conference. Really enjoyed the posters...taking back great ideas. Mary Coughlin was 'wicked' awesome. I plan on following my prescription for self care as ordered. Thank you Mary for sharing your passion with us. After a whirlwind of a day I treated myself to a monster burger and fries ( no dietary restrictions when treating yourself:-) Time to hit the hay and get some sleep. Y'all have a great Friday night and I'll see you in the morning. |
About NANNThe National Association of Neonatal Nurses was formed in 1984 with the purpose of addressing the educational and practice needs within the evolving specialty of neonatal nursing, while giving all neonatal nurses national representation. Archives
April 2015
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