NURSING STAFF / TEAM women & infants nEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT bedside nurses
Interview with Karen Dreyer , RN , NICU Bedside Nurse
What is the most rewarding part of the job ? Working with families who thought they would never be able to have a child . Also , the impact we have on families is rewarding . Years later , I was at Target and a family ran over to ask , “ Do you remember me ? You taught me how to change my baby ’ s diaper .”
In addition , it is rewarding to celebrate unique experiences and milestones with families as a team . We work with families as a team to help them cope with the overwhelming experience of having a baby in the NICU . We love Christmas cards from families . We all invest in the families , whether it is helping a parent hold their twins for the first time , assisting with their first feed or working to help families bond with their babies .
SENIOR STUDENT NURSE
JASMINE BENNETT , ASN , RN
Community College of Rhode Island
Tell us about your nursing SCHOOL experience . It took a lot of perseverance to make it through the rigorous program , with my dad cheering me on daily and my grandfather on the sidelines in heaven guiding me through my journey . My understanding and graceful professor , Donna Ashworth , laid the foundation , while professor Maria Pezzillo helped me “ think like a nurse .” When my lifeline and rock , my grandfather / Papa , passed away , I withdrew , but I remembered he always told me to stay in school , which gave me the strength to retake the semester and graduate . My clinical instructor professor Elaine Amato-Vealey pushed me to graduate and forced me into the mindset and reality of being a nurse . I had additional help from my humble , skillful father , Clayton , who unfortunately sustained six strokes through my schooling , and my mom , Cheryl , who is bright , bubbly and the most personable nurse . Through New Hampshire University ’ s master ’ s in nursing with a focus in nursing administration , my final goal of becoming a pediatric psychiatric nurse practitioner is inspired by my Lifespan mentor , Janelle . I wanted to give up so many times during nursing school , but I remembered who was watching .
What makes being a bedside nurse different from other nurses ? NICU nurses are a different breed . Some nurses enjoy following the care of an infant during their stay while others like the excitement of admitting and transporting babies . We are passionate about our jobs . It takes a meticulous person to take care of a critical baby who cannot tell you what is wrong with them . You must use your knowledge and skills to help that baby and their family .
What do you think makes a successful nursing team ? Working together as we do helps with our success . Most of our team has worked together for several years . Working together and advocating for our patients and co-workers .
NICU NURSING STAFF PICTURED , BACK ROW , FROM LEFT : Amy Bryant , Elizabeth “ Liz ” O ’ Hare , Becky Travers , Kellis Blanchet , Tina Lombardi , Lisa McDonald , Beth Woolley , Jolene Paradis , Molly Leung . FRONT ROW , FROM LEFT : Karin Silvia , Megen Breton , Lori Mansi , Pam Whitman , Jane Clark . ( Note : This is just a small representation of the team . There are about 170 NICU staff nurses at Women & Infants Hospital .)
Which nursing field piques your interest ? I am most interested in pediatric psychiatry because of the disparities that age group faces when seeking health care | | CONTINUED ON PAGE 78
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2023 67