Throughout my life I have heard it all.
"Nurses work long hours, are you sure you can do it?"
"If you get married and have kids, you won't be able to see your family."
"It's a morbid job filled with death and illness."
"You won't want to have kids after you see what goes on."
I have weighed the pros and cons, trust me. I have thought and prayed about this for a long time. It'll be physically and emotionally demanding, I'll work long hours, I'll see death, I'll see illness, maybe I won't want to have kids; but two people fall in love and make a beautiful tiny human, and it'll be in my hands to save the baby's life. Think about the success stories.
1. For being small, babies have such a huge will to fight.
From conception to birth, all babies do is grow and thrive to be able to survive in the outside world. When those babies come out of the womb, they want to fight for life and fight for a chance to see the world. No matter what obstacle they are faced with, they will fight through it and for a small, sick baby, that's a huge accomplishment.
2. Babies can spent weeks, months, or even years in the NICU.
This can be a long time to spend with a family and their newborn. During this time, you get to watch the baby thrive to become healthy to be able to go home. During this time you get the privilege to educate the parents on their newborn. Along with educating them, you become someone the family trusts. From delivering good news to delivering bad news, the family will rely on you to help their family and their new baby.
3. Each day brings a new challenge.
In the NICU, no day is the same as the last. Every family is different, every situation is different, and every baby is different. Two cases may be similar, but no two cases will produce the same outcome. Everyday you have to come in with an open mind, prepared to tackle whatever challenge is thrown at you.
4. Parents will rely on you.
Depending on where you are working, parents might come from around the country to your hospital to be treated. They may come alone, they may come with their whole extended family. Either way, parents will rely on you. When they need to step out to get rest or eat, or just take a break, they will be relying on you to keep their baby safe. You become a part of their family.
5. Your work does not go unnoticed.
Years after babies leave the NICU, you may have forgotten specific details about them, but they will not forget about you. Parents won't forget your name. They won't forget what you did for them and for their baby. Months after they get out of the hospital with their newborn, they will be telling everyone about you and the work that was done.
Yes, being a nurse is demanding and filled with long shifts, and your patient's health always comes before your own. You have bad, awful days; and you have days that make you glad you chose this field. At the end of the day, a neonatal nurse gets to help a family bring a new life to the world. No matter what things a nurse has to face during the day, it's amazing being able to watch a baby grow to the point where the family can take them home. Years later the family may bring the baby, now a toddler back, and that is the most rewarding feeling in the world.
