Newsworthy

For these mothers and daughters working together on the Stormont Vail Health Mother & Baby team, every day is a chance to celebrate Mother’s Day!

Audrey, RN, NICU

I’ve been a Stormont Vail Health team member since 1985. Experiencing the challenges and rewards of working in the NICU my entire professional life has been an honor. At the end of the day, I wouldn’t change it for the world!

Working with my daughter, Madelyn, is one of the best parts of my job. Her smile is infectious, and seeing her in the NICU makes my heart happy on stressful days. For me, working together reminds me of the circle of life. It seems like yesterday I was delivering her at the Stormont Vail Birthplace in Topeka, surrounded by the support of my wonderful co-workers and friends of many years. The care my family and I received was exceptional. I strive to pay it forward by passing that same level of care to every patient and family I care for in the NICU.

I’ve enjoyed a wonderful career as a nurse and mother. Having Madelyn as a part of the Maternal Child team is the cherry on top!

Madelyn, Business Operations Manager, Women’s and Children’s Services

What I love most about working in my department since joining Stormont Vail three and a half years ago is seeing how much joy the medical team brings to families. It’s a great honor to experience the behind-the-scenes of the nurses’ day-to-day. I have the utmost respect for them, especially my mom. I know the patients are in great hands because we all work together to deliver the best possible outcomes.

My mom and I have worked together in the NICU for a year. The best part about working together is seeing her face every other day. She just lights up a room! It’s hard to have a bad day when I have the honor of working with her.

My mom is the best nurse I know, and I strive for her work ethic! Working with her enhances my experience when I see other mothers and children because she can care for the families in a way I can’t. While she cares for babies at the bedside, I’m accounting for everything on the business side to ensure Stormont Vail keeps providing the best care for our patients.

I love coming to work knowing how much our nurses care for our patients. Overseeing the various areas within the Maternal Child Administration has been bittersweet, and having the privilege of working with the best nurses I know makes everything that much better!

Kim, Department Assistant 2, Maternal Child Administration

When I joined Stormont Vail 28 and a half years ago, I spent my first two years on 7 North managing payroll for all patient care units. Fun fact – at that time, 7 North didn’t serve patients. Rather, it encompassed Life Star, Physician Relations, and other offices. This role gave me a great chance to get to know the hospital and other teams well since I went to each unit twice daily to collect staffing sheets and make each department’s payroll entries.

I then transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), where I’ve stayed for the last 26 and a half years. Since then, Stormont Vail has added pediatrics, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), the Birthplace, Breastfeeding Clinic, Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists, and the Lincoln Center locations to our Mother & Child Department team. I’ve really enjoyed being part of these areas and their unique specialties!

My daughter, Nik, is an RN on PICU/PEDs, so on her days here, it’s nice to see her at work when I’m up in the PICU or PEDs. She’s also floated to the NICU, where I’m home-based, to care for our babies. She started her journey with Stormont Vail Health as a volunteer when she was 13, then got her first job as a PCT at 16. Seeing Nik grow throughout our years at Stormont Vail has brought me so much joy and pride – it’s one of the things I love most about my job.

Nikki, RN, PICU

I joined Stormont Vail Health almost 21 years ago. I started volunteering as a teenager and eventually got my first job here! I ultimately obtained my BSN and continued working on the PEDS/PICU/Young Adult Center (YAC) team, where I’ve stayed for the last 13 and a half years.

I enjoy working in the same area as my mom. It’s nice to see her throughout our shifts and lets her see me grow in my career, which I love. She knows how much I love caring for kiddos and working in the PICU!

Working with my mom and having her see me care for patients going through different experiences and challenges reminds me how much I want to provide excellent care to our younger community to ensure a positive experience for both children and parents.

Christine, RN-C, 4 North Birthplace

I’ve worked in the Birthplace for 10 years since joining Stormont Vail in 2013. I love working with my daughters, Faith and Emma, who want to become nurses, too! My oldest, Faith, is seeking her nursing degree at Washburn University School of Nursing while Emma completes her prerequisites for nursing school.

Faith works days, so we see each other when she leaves for work in the morning. Emma and I work nights, so I spend time with her during our shifts. Working together has helped us understand so much more about each other!

The best part of working together is sharing a common goal, working as part of a larger team, and watching my daughters develop their own passion for women’s and children’s health. We all desire to ensure women in our community receive excellent care and to see families grow with one more little heart to love.