Journeying With Patients Through Life: Part One 

By: Nikki Cronin

“You’re not only bonding with the baby, but you’re also bonding with the family.” – Emma Verdecchia, senior professional staff nurse, NICU, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital 

The January edition of First Friday features part one of a new series, “Journeying With Patients Through Life,” which highlights the compassionate care our nurses provide for patients through every stage of life. In both challenge and triumph, UPMC nurses are a constant, assuring presence for those in our care.  

This first installment sheds light on the work of nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. Senior professional staff nurses, Chavonne Peluso and Emma Verdecchia share how NICU nurses care for both patients and their families during their hospital stays.  

A former NICU patient’s mother, Madyson Ickes, speaks to these nurses’ impact, sharing how nurses stood by her side throughout her son’s seven-month stay.  

Nurses support patients from their earliest moments to the final stages of life. Throughout each stage, they remain a constant source of strength and compassion for the patients and families we serve.  

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