Woman becomes NICU nurse after her child spent 3 weeks in the unit
by Liz Bonis, WKRC
CINCINNATI (WKRC) – With nurses now in such high demand following the COVID-19 pandemic, a young mom who recently chose to become a nurse at Good Samaritan Hospital is sharing why for her, it’s not a career but a calling.
It all started just a few years ago when Tori Hughes’ baby Julia was born at just 32 weeks. At the time, Hughes admitted that she didn’t know much about nursing.
“I didn’t know anything about nursing, I was not a nurse, never thought about being a nurse ever in my life,” she said.
But the three weeks that Julia spent in the Good Samaritan neonatal intensive care unit, getting healthy enough to go home forever, changed her mom’s life. She realized she could relate to other parents in the NICU, such as baby Callum’s.
Callum’s mom, Jackie Galvin, said, “He was only supposed to be here a few hours and then his blood sugars dropped.” So, in a unique way, Hughes can relate. “I know what it feels like, a little bit,” she said.
So as little Julia grew, her single mom did a little professional growth of her own. She went to nursing school. Christa Black, nurse manager of the NICU at Good Samaritan Hospital, said, “NICU nursing is definitely a calling.”
So true to Hughes’ calling, she now works in the same NICU unit at Good Samaritan Hospital that she credits with saving her daughter’s life. “I absolutely credit this team,” Hughes said.
Callum’s parents said it’s clear she’s already making a difference. The baby’s father said, “It’s nice to have somebody that knows how you feel.”
At a time when many are leaving the nursing profession after COVID-19, Callum’s mom and dad said they could not be more grateful to those such as Tori, who not only felt an overwhelming calling to be a nurse but also a calling to give back.
“It really does feel like home,” Hughes said. Her patient, Callum, is doing great and could go home any day now.