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Charge nurse loves to nurture, teach

Jen Napier, RN, works in the Neonatal Intensive care unit at Children’s of Dayton.

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By Carole A. Judge, Health Care Today Updated 10:05 AM Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Jen Napier

Title: Charge Nurse

Affiliation: The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton

Education: BSN, Wright State University

“I love the babies, but I also love being able to teach parents to listen to them and learn how to be their advocates so they can be the best parents they can be,” said Jen Napier, RN, a nurse who has been with The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton for the past 11 years and who works in the specialized Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

This attitude is a far cry from how Napier first felt as a new nurse, just 23 years old and fresh out of orientation.

She recalled, “My first patient was a victim of child abuse, and I thought, ‘I just can’t do this.’ But over the next 24 hours, I went through 360 degrees of emotions and I realized that someone had let this kid down and so I can’t let this kid down, too. It changed my whole outlook and my career path.”

Napier, a mother of two, admitted, “If I were the parent, I would want a nurse who has their heart and soul in their work, not someone who sees it as just another job. I give the kind of care I’d want if it were my own kid.”

She also explained how important it is for the NICU nurse to have patience, as new parents are so beleaguered that they may not understand everything the first time.

“We do a lot of listening and let them ask questions, but we end up answering the same questions over and over because they are so overwhelmed.”

“First-time parents don’t expect a baby with a problem, so we have to calm them and teach them to be comfortable with the baby and how to interact with them too. They have to learn everything, including how to change a diaper without being afraid that they will hurt them,” she added.

Napier shared that the hardest part of her job is also the best part.

“When the babies go home you’re happy to see them go because it’s the family’s biggest joy, but it’s also sad because you’ve gotten to know them so well,” she said. “There are far more positives than negatives and this unit has longevity because we love what we do. There are people who have worked here for over 30 years and I don’t foresee myself going anywhere.

“Nursing is ever-changing, technology is changing, but dedication to patients and families stays the same no matter what the situation.”

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