Part four of a series introducing the passionate health care team behind our growing Level IV NICU
If you’ve been to our CHoR NICU, nurse Marty Lewis is likely a familiar face. Whether caring for an infant or calming the nerves of new parents, she’s been a reassuring presence in the NICU for decades.
Marty Lewis shares what inspires her, and why she’s looking forward to the CHoR NICU expanding into our Children’s Tower in a few short months.
How long have you worked in the CHoR NICU?
In the NICU, 39 years – I’ve been at VCU as a registered nurse since 1985.
Why have you stayed in this line of work, and at CHoR?
I have stayed in the NICU because I found my calling and passion. I knew I loved working with babies, being a voice and advocate for them and their families. Babies sometimes only give you subtle indicators that they may be getting sick, and you need to know how to escalate those concerns and intervene in a timely manner. I love helping an infant progress along the journey from illness to wellness and releasing the reins to their parents.
I have a calling for helping an infant master feeding and also like the chronic trach and g-tube patients. I get the adult interaction with my parents. Helping establish that bond with their infant in a challenging situation is an honor and privilege. I can honestly say I am still around because I like my job. I wake up and am ready to serve and care for our special infants and their families. The NICU in all honesty is my second family.
What made you choose this career and when did you know this was what you wanted to do?
When I worked as a nurse extern between my junior and senior year of nursing school in a special care nursery, it was a step-down intensive care unit for infants up to the age of 2. During that time I got pulled to the intermediate NICU and my interest was piqued. Working as a NICU nurse is not for the faint of heart. I truly believe it is a calling to care for our patients and their families no matter what stage the infant is in their hospital course.
Is there a moment in your career that stands out to you as being extra special?
When you have worked as long as I have, there are many that stand out – the first set of quadruplets, sending a chronic trach patient home knowing you have set the family up for success, first baths, first IV starts, helping a resident change a diaper or re-swaddle a baby, helping a family breast feed or give a first bottle. The list goes on.
What do you hope families in the NICU take away from their interactions with you?
I hope the families take away a foundation of confidence and caring. I do what I do because I care.
What are you most looking forward to about the new NICU space in the Children’s Tower?
SPACE – We need it desperately. We can never predict who may come in active preterm labor or that term infant who is sick at birth. We need to always have rooms and staff open and available to take care of these situations. There is really nowhere but the NICU that these babies can go.