Veronica Agostino
October 2023
Veronica
Agostino
,
RN
Newborn Nursery
UNC Health Rex
Raleigh
,
NC
United States
Veronica’s presence and advocacy brought great comfort to the family.
A patient in the Women’s Center arrived to give birth to her first baby. She had a great desire for a natural birth and hoped to breastfeed her baby. During labor, the team worked closely with the mother to help her deliver naturally. Unfortunately, the baby was not able to tolerate labor, and it was decided the patient needed an urgent C-section delivery. The baby was successfully delivered, but the mother experienced a post-partum hemorrhage and was transferred to the MSICU.
The father and grandparents of the baby were overwhelmed by the sudden, unexpected admission of the mother to the intensive care unit. They worried if the mother was going to recover. She was intubated and unable to be with her baby. The father shared that his wife wanted the baby to have breast milk. Veronica was the Newborn Nursery nurse assigned to care for the baby while the mother was in the ICU. She cared not only for the baby but for the emotional well-being of the family. Veronica arranged for the baby to receive donor breast milk. To support the bonding of the mother with her baby, she brought the baby to the MSICU and stayed to support the couplet. Veronica’s presence and advocacy brought great comfort to the family. When the mother was extubated, Veronica worked with the Pharmacy team to ensure the mother’s medications would not interfere with her ability to provide milk for her baby. Veronica helped the mother express her breast milk. This was one of the most important goals that the mother hoped to achieve. When the mother was transferred from the MSICU to the Postpartum unit, Veronica continued to help support the mother with her breastfeeding goal.
In just a few days, the family experienced the fear of losing the mother and the joy of seeing her breastfeeding her baby. Veronica’s exemplary dedication to ensuring that the mother would be able to give her baby breastmilk and experience the healing power of skin-to-skin touch with her baby, gave this mother much-needed strength to recover.
The mother and the family will never forget Veronica’s presence and support. She truly made a difference!
The father and grandparents of the baby were overwhelmed by the sudden, unexpected admission of the mother to the intensive care unit. They worried if the mother was going to recover. She was intubated and unable to be with her baby. The father shared that his wife wanted the baby to have breast milk. Veronica was the Newborn Nursery nurse assigned to care for the baby while the mother was in the ICU. She cared not only for the baby but for the emotional well-being of the family. Veronica arranged for the baby to receive donor breast milk. To support the bonding of the mother with her baby, she brought the baby to the MSICU and stayed to support the couplet. Veronica’s presence and advocacy brought great comfort to the family. When the mother was extubated, Veronica worked with the Pharmacy team to ensure the mother’s medications would not interfere with her ability to provide milk for her baby. Veronica helped the mother express her breast milk. This was one of the most important goals that the mother hoped to achieve. When the mother was transferred from the MSICU to the Postpartum unit, Veronica continued to help support the mother with her breastfeeding goal.
In just a few days, the family experienced the fear of losing the mother and the joy of seeing her breastfeeding her baby. Veronica’s exemplary dedication to ensuring that the mother would be able to give her baby breastmilk and experience the healing power of skin-to-skin touch with her baby, gave this mother much-needed strength to recover.
The mother and the family will never forget Veronica’s presence and support. She truly made a difference!