More Than Assessments: Lessons in Compassion and Care

This month I had a great experience on the mom and baby unit. I was able to perform newborn assessments and I learned a lot from my nurse. I learned how to assess newborn reflexes and listen to their heart rate and respirations. I learned how important it is to be gentle with a newborn. My nurse was a great example of being compassionate with patients. There was a patient who had to undergo a c-section and deliver a baby at 24 weeks and 1 day. That is a very traumatic and scary experience. Her baby made it but has a long road in the NICU. I was able to see my nurse talk to this mom and show so much compassion and make the mom feel validated. This taught me to always be aware of what patients could be going through and to always use therapeutic communication. 

—Anne Christiansen Suman