I am so fortunate to lead the amazing group of nurses and PCAs in our NICU. This team regularly goes above and beyond for our tiny patients, their families, and also for each other. The things they do tend to be "under the radar" so to speak, but I believe they exemplify what is means to be a Mercy Nursing Team.
This staff uses their own personal finances to make crib sheets and baby blankets for our babies; yes we could purchase these items but then they'd be sterile looking hospital sheets. They purchase infant-styled fabric and make these items to give families a sense of wellbeing and normalcy. Our families have lost their dream of a "normal birth" so our desire is to make their NICU stay as homey as possible. We encourage parents to choose sheets and blankets from our supply; if the nurses find out a particular preference of the family (for example if the dad is a big Cardinals fan), they will be sure to use Cardinals blankets.
A special way they support our families is during a bereavement situation. Some of our team sews gowns for these babies; those who don't sew purchase materials for those that do. We also have staff that make scrapbooks and beaded name bracelets while others purchase the supplies. These gestures create exceptional lasting memories for families. We recently had a situation during which a baby unfortunately passed away and his mom was not comfortable with her baby in a gown - she preferred a cute sleeper so her baby would look "normal". The nurse was heartbroken that she could only locate a clean but obviously second-hand sleeper. Although the mom was happy to have it, the nurse rallied her team-mates to create "Grady Gear" in honor of this infant. Now the staff regularly purchases new, cute sleepers to store in a special area designated for Grady Gear. Nurses use these sleepers only for infants that pass away and their family prefers a sleeper instead of a gown. When families will never have memories like a first bath at home, a first feeding, or any other early childhood milestone, these things give families special keepsakes they will cherish.
An ongoing project many staff participates in is knitting hats for our NICU babies. Our patients need to be in a heated environment. When parents remove them for holding, the baby needs a hat to maintain his body temperature. The hats are both sweet and functional. One of our nurses hosts a knitting group outside of Mercy that also knits these hats. It is remarkable to watch the team partner with our community in the care of our babies.
Just this past year the NICU staff spearheaded two amazing projects. One was to transform our unit Christmas tree into a Giving Tree for two local families that suffered great loss in a house fire. Two children lost their lives, four more were hospitalized, and all their material possessions were lost. This staff worked together to provide a very generous Christmas for these children and their families. They've also organized a drive for new and gently used books to create an on-site library so parents can read to their baby or his older siblings.
A huge activity each year is our NICU Reunion. It takes weeks of planning. Our staff volunteers their time and also solicits community involvement. This year we celebrated 32 years of NICU at Mercy. We average 400 attendees annually; people that have spent time in our unit.
The NICU staff shows compassion and bring healing to our babies and families regardless of their circumstances. No one asks them to do these things and none of it is part of their job description; it's simply who they are - they care.
They show concern for each other the same way too, we're a family. We all feel pain when one of us is hurting. I lost my dad this year after an 18 month battle with stomach cancer. This team, my family, surrounded me with grace and love when I needed it most. This is my personal example, but it isn't unusual. The NICU Team has endless compassion and generosity for others. This is who they are.
These NICU Team members were honored with this DAISY Team Award:
Jennifer Murray, RNC, BSN; Nurse Manager
Kelly Brown, RNC
Stepfanie Diamond, RN
Brenda Hyden, RNC
Kara Vinson, RNC, BSN
Jennifer Abbey, RN, BSN
Valentina Acevedo, RN, BSN
Natalie Baker, RN
Ashley Ball, RN, BSN
Brian Batson, RN, BSN
Christine Beck, RN, BSN
Ashley Bennett, RN
Lexie Bettis, RN
Julie Blankenship, RN
Michelle Brinkley, RNC
Kellee Chamberlain, RN, BSN
Ashley Clark, RN
Amanda Crayton, RN
Cheyna Crouch, RN, BSN
Cindy Cummings, RN, BSN
Lynette Cummings, RNC, BSN
Kimmy Dalton, RN
Danelle Davidson, RN
Angela Dye, RNC, BSN
Kara Farrar, RN
Hayley Fisher, RN, BSN
Lindsay Fortson, RN, BSN
Candace Garner, RN
Shawna Globke, RN, BSN
Claire Hagerman, RN, BSN
Ashley Harrell, RN
Holly Harris, RN, BSN
Lisa Hausman, RN, BSN
Amanda Hoeflinger, RN
Kristen Inman, RN, BSN
Jeanne James, RN, BSN
Dalton Janssen, RN, BSN
Lindsey Jenkins, RN, BSN
Megan Jorgensen, RN, BSN
Nicole Keech, RN
Eve King, RNC
Rachel Kopsas, RN, MSN
Shelli Lambert, RNC
Ashley Lewis, RN
Lisa Logan, RNC
Breanna Losch, RN, BSN
Karen Maleare, RNC
Erica Mariage, RN
Meredith Martin, RN
Renay McCarley, RN, MSN
Olivia McGoon, RN
Christin McLemore, RN, BSN
Jennifer McTague, RN
Johanna Medina, RN
Stephanie Merrifield, RN
Kim Metcalf, RNC
Diedre Mitchell, RNC
DeAnna Montenegro, RN
Janna Murphy, RN, BSN
Ashley Murray, RN
Susan Long, RN
Tacy Parker, RN, BSN
Shanda Postlewait, RN, BSN
Emily Presney, RN
Emily Redfearn, RN, BSN
LeAnn Rens, RNC
Bridget Rice, RNC, BSN
Shanin Rissman, RN
Latasha Rockwood, RNC
Regina Rorrer, RN
Jill Rosell, RNC
Janine Sachs, RNC
Christina Shockey, RN
Christina Sickmyre, RN
Ashlee Smith, RN, BSN
Mandi Stephens, RN
Sandra Stewart, RNC
Tammy Strickland, RNC
Rebecca Thompson, RN
Alisa Wieneke, RN
Kelsi Yates, RN, BSN

Allison Ball, PCA
Megan Bourns, PCA
Elizabeth Hedgpeth, PCA
Amber Kirksey, PCA
Marcy Sapp, PCA
Tristin Simpson, PCA
Patricia Smith, PCA
Ashley Stirewalt, PCA
Beverly Trantham, PCA
Priscilla Thornton, PCA
Christian Walter, PCA
Christine Wiseman, PCA