Rush Voices

“I’ve been nursing in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Rush since I graduated from Rush College of Nursing in 1979, and I’ve never considered nursing anywhere else. What attracted me to Rush in the first place was their focus on delivering great patient care. In my nearly 26 years working at Rush, that has not changed.

“Our commitment to that high level of care keeps us striving for new ways to do things, and we use evidence from research to help us make the best decisions for our patients. For example, we now know that preemies do best in an atmosphere that simulates the low lighting and quiet conditions of the womb. After the Rush transformation, the NICU will be even better equipped to replicate those conditions and create a healthy, restful and welcoming environment for our tiniest patients and their families.

“The philosophy in the NICU is that parents are essential partners in their baby’s care. Parents aren’t visitors — they are an important part of the Rush team during their baby’s stay with us. They assist in making daily decisions about their baby’s care because we want families to be involved and feel connected. We care for our patients the way we want our own families to be cared for — with compassion and respect.

“No two families’ experiences are alike because care at Rush is very individualized. It’s that way in the NICU, and the same can be said for departments all across the Medical Center. I know because I was treated for breast cancer here at Rush. I truly believe that I received the best treatment available anywhere, and I never felt that my care was extraordinary because I work here. My care was extraordinary because that’s just the kind of care that Rush provides — exceptional care that is targeted to meet the individual needs of each patient and family, whether you’re in the oncology unit or our NICU.”

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