Kindness and Compassion in the NICU
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Registered Nurse Thalia Kramer is grateful for Niagara Health Foundation donors who ensure the Neonatal Intensive Care team has the equipment they need to care for our tiniest patients.
Over 600 newborn babies are cared for in Niagara Health’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) each year, and one of those tiny patients was Daniel. He had trouble breathing when he was born and had to stay at the NICU for five days. For his mother, Leanne, it was a difficult time. She was worried about her baby and sad to spend their first days together in a hospital room instead of the comfort of their home.
Amidst medical terms, tubes, and fears, Leanne found comfort in the support she received from the nurses.
“At the NICU, you don’t really know how the situation is going to turn out, and that is an incredibly heavy burden to carry. If I didn’t have supportive, caring nurses, it could easily have felt too hard and overwhelming. Having their reassurance made the experience so much less traumatic than it could have been.”
One moment that stood out to Leanne was Daniel’s first bath. “I never pictured myself giving my baby his first bath at the hospital, but nurse Thalia went out of her way to still make that time special for us.”
Thalia, who has been on the NICU team for eight years, knows how important it is to make these milestones a good experience for parents. “I always knew that these moments are special for families, but having my own children has definitely given me an even deeper appreciation for these firsts.”
“When it was time for Daniel’s first bath, I tried to make that moment as normal as it could possibly be, and his mom was so grateful. She was observing and helping, and then she got to hold him for his feed afterwards – it was a beautiful moment.”
What she remembers most about Daniel’s parents is how important it was for them to be involved in his care right from the start. “Some NICU parents are afraid to touch their babies because of the wires and tubes, but his family really wanted to be involved, which is wonderful,” she smiles. “I really wanted to foster that.”
Thalia’s kindness and the care from the entire team inspired Leanne to submit a compliment to the Patient Experience team to thank them for their support – a recognition that is incredibly meaningful to the NICU team.
“I first wanted to become a nurse when I was nine years old,” Thalia remembers. Her mom had been diagnosed with cancer, and the kindness of the nurses made a huge difference for her mother and their family. “To hear that I had that kind of impact on this family really means a lot.”
Both Thalia and Leanne are grateful for Niagara Health Foundation donors who support this important work with their gifts.
“We couldn’t do our job without the equipment,” Thalia explains. “Something as simple as a feeding pump or monitor helps us to gain insights into what’s going on with a baby before we can physically see it. Especially with premature babies, the equipment allows us to monitor them while we let them rest and grow, which is so important for helping these vulnerable babies thrive. Our job would not be possible without the equipment.”
The greatest joy in the NICU is discharge day, though for Thalia, it is bittersweet. “It is both my most and least favourite day,” she says. “We get attached to the babies and the families, so it’s sad for us, but it’s obviously also such a happy day. The babies have come so far, and for the parents, it is great to finally get to go home.”
Leanne couldn’t agree more. “It was the best feeling,” she beams. “There are no words to describe the joy I felt that day.” As grateful as she was – and will forever be – for the care they received, she was also quite happy to walk out of the hospital that day. “I didn’t want to look back,” she laughs. “We’re out of here!”
Kindness and Compassion in the NICU
Over 600 newborn babies are cared for in Niagara Health’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) each year, and one of those tiny patients was Daniel. He had trouble breathing when he was born and had to stay at the NICU for five days. For his mother, Leanne, it was a difficult time. She was worried about her baby and sad to spend their first days together in a hospital room instead of the comfort of their home.
Amidst medical terms, tubes, and fears, Leanne found comfort in the support she received from the nurses.
“At the NICU, you don’t really know how the situation is going to turn out, and that is an incredibly heavy burden to carry. If I didn’t have supportive, caring nurses, it could easily have felt too hard and overwhelming. Having their reassurance made the experience so much less traumatic than it could have been.”
One moment that stood out to Leanne was Daniel’s first bath. “I never pictured myself giving my baby his first bath at the hospital, but nurse Thalia went out of her way to still make that time special for us.”
Thalia, who has been on the NICU team for eight years, knows how important it is to make these milestones a good experience for parents. “I always knew that these moments are special for families, but having my own children has definitely given me an even deeper appreciation for these firsts.”
“When it was time for Daniel’s first bath, I tried to make that moment as normal as it could possibly be, and his mom was so grateful. She was observing and helping, and then she got to hold him for his feed afterwards – it was a beautiful moment.”
What she remembers most about Daniel’s parents is how important it was for them to be involved in his care right from the start. “Some NICU parents are afraid to touch their babies because of the wires and tubes, but his family really wanted to be involved, which is wonderful,” she smiles. “I really wanted to foster that.”
Thalia’s kindness and the care from the entire team inspired Leanne to submit a compliment to the Patient Experience team to thank them for their support – a recognition that is incredibly meaningful to the NICU team.
“I first wanted to become a nurse when I was nine years old,” Thalia remembers. Her mom had been diagnosed with cancer, and the kindness of the nurses made a huge difference for her mother and their family. “To hear that I had that kind of impact on this family really means a lot.”
Both Thalia and Leanne are grateful for Niagara Health Foundation donors who support this important work with their gifts.
“We couldn’t do our job without the equipment,” Thalia explains. “Something as simple as a feeding pump or monitor helps us to gain insights into what’s going on with a baby before we can physically see it. Especially with premature babies, the equipment allows us to monitor them while we let them rest and grow, which is so important for helping these vulnerable babies thrive. Our job would not be possible without the equipment.”
The greatest joy in the NICU is discharge day, though for Thalia, it is bittersweet. “It is both my most and least favourite day,” she says. “We get attached to the babies and the families, so it’s sad for us, but it’s obviously also such a happy day. The babies have come so far, and for the parents, it is great to finally get to go home.”
Leanne couldn’t agree more. “It was the best feeling,” she beams. “There are no words to describe the joy I felt that day.” As grateful as she was – and will forever be – for the care they received, she was also quite happy to walk out of the hospital that day. “I didn’t want to look back,” she laughs. “We’re out of here!”
