By: Felicia Harris, NNP

My journey in the NICU began 38 years ago when I was asked to cover an extended leave for a nursery nurse at an Army hospital. I had always enjoyed maternity care, so I thought, why not? In that nursery, we cared for both healthy and critically ill infants, including intubated babies with lines, before they were medevacked. I was immediately hooked—you could say I fell in love with the work.

When I moved to the U.S. and began working in the NICU, my passion for caring for these tiny patients was further validated. A few years later, I chose to continue my education and became a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner—a role I’ve proudly held for the past 26 years.

The hardest part of this job is losing a patient and witnessing the pain and heartbreak of their parents. I’ve hugged and cried with families during their darkest moments. But there’s also immense joy in seeing a baby go home after weeks or even months in the NICU. We grow deeply attached to both the babies and their families. I still remember the first international mother we cared for many years ago—she truly became part of our NICU family until her baby was discharged and ready to travel home.

Social media has become a wonderful way to stay connected with many of the families we’ve supported. At our most recent NICU reunion, we saw an 8-year-old whose parents brought him back to visit Palm Springs and the NICU where he was born. Moments like these remind me why I do what I do.

One of the things I enjoy most about transition and activation work is meeting healthcare professionals from across the country. I’ve learned so much from them—especially how different teams approach similar challenges in their own unique ways. I love seeing, as I like to call it, “how other people live” in their old and new units. It’s always enlightening. I’ve also learned a great deal from Yellow Brick project managers and other members of the transition team. They are always a true pleasure to work with.