Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Nurse’s heart-wrenching encounter with newborn going through withdrawal

Debbie Moore-Black, RN
Conditions
January 20, 2023
Share
Tweet
Share

I always knew my work schedule, but this time I got it wrong … or maybe I got it right. I clocked in and reported to the ICU for my night shift to start, but I wasn’t on the schedule. Strangely enough, they had enough nurses that night. The nursing supervisor asked if I would be willing to go to the neonatal ICU (NICU) and rock a baby. Except for nursing school, I knew nothing about neonatal nursing, much less the NICU. But I thought this should be easy, so I said yes.

I entered the NICU and the charge nurse asked me if I could rock a 5.5-pound premature baby girl. She was irritable with a frantic, shrill cry, and her body trembled. I immediately thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” She had a nasal cannula attached to her nostrils, and was going through withdrawal symptoms because her mother did drugs – opioids. My heart wept.

Little Greta would tremble uncontrollably, but I held her close in my arms as I slowly rocked her. She was perfect, with tiny fingers wrapped around one of my fingers. We looked into each other’s eyes – those small, brown eyes – and I slowly rocked her, slow and rhythmic. I put her close to my heart, so she could feel my warmth, feel my heart, and feel my love.

I was told that Greta’s mother had already been discharged, and was undergoing drug rehabilitation, including methadone treatment. Social services would make visits to see the progress of Greta and the mother, and the goal was to eventually return Greta to her mother when she was physically able to go home. DSS would eventually make well visits to the mother and baby Greta when she was returned.

After two hours of rocking Greta, her breathing slowed to a restful state and her little eyes closed as she slept peacefully in my arms. I could have rocked her forever. I said a prayer for Greta, that she would have a happy life, and that her mother would be rehabilitated and never go back to drugs. This perfect creation, sleeping quietly in my arms, and I wished her the best that life and love could give her. I could only pray a positive prayer, as I did not want to think the dark thoughts that circled my mind.

After two hours of rocking baby Greta, I handed her over to her nurse and slowly walked out of the hospital. My “assignment” was over. Tears slowly fell to my cheeks – tears I couldn’t hold back – tears for baby Greta, her perfect self, and that peaceful snuggle against my chest as she held her tiny hand tightly wrapped around my finger.

Debbie Moore-Black is a nurse who blogs at Do Not Resuscitate.

Prev

The impact of religious-spiritual values on individual lives

January 20, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

Finding strength in adversity: lessons from a health care worker [PODCAST]

January 20, 2023 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Psychiatry

Post navigation

< Previous Post
The impact of religious-spiritual values on individual lives
Next Post >
Finding strength in adversity: lessons from a health care worker [PODCAST]

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Debbie Moore-Black, RN

  • What money can’t fix: the scars left by a friend

    Debbie Moore-Black, RN
  • A retired ICU nurse’s brunch conversation sparks a life-changing moment

    Debbie Moore-Black, RN
  • Wisdom for new nurses: lessons from a 30-year ICU veteran

    Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Related Posts

  • How nurse practitioners can expand abortion access

    Vanessa Shields-Haas, RN
  • Why a nurse should not go to jail

    Barbara L. Olson, RN
  • My Klonopin withdrawal story

    Bethany Silverman
  • Open your heart to your suffering

    Toni Bernhard, JD
  • My battle against the nurse’s cap

    Debbie Moore-Black, RN
  • Independent practice: Nurse practitioners respond

    Rebekah Bernard, MD

More in Conditions

  • Finding healing in narrative medicine: When words replace silence

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • Why coaching is not a substitute for psychotherapy

    Maire Daugharty, MD
  • Why doctors stay silent about preventable harm

    Jenny Shields, PhD
  • Why gambling addiction is America’s next health crisis

    Safina Adatia, MD
  • How robotics are reshaping the future of vascular procedures

    David Fischel
  • How the shingles vaccine could help prevent dementia

    Marc Arginteanu, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • In a fractured world, Brian Wilson’s message still heals

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • When your dream job becomes a nightmare [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How doctors took back control from hospital executives

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • When your dream job becomes a nightmare [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Finding healing in narrative medicine: When words replace silence

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Why coaching is not a substitute for psychotherapy

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When the white coats become gatekeepers: How a quiet cartel strangles America’s health

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Why doctors stay silent about preventable harm

      Jenny Shields, PhD | Conditions
    • Why interoperability is key to achieving the quintuple aim in health care

      Steven Lane, MD | Tech

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • When did we start treating our lives like trauma?

      Maureen Gibbons, MD | Physician
    • In a fractured world, Brian Wilson’s message still heals

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Physician
    • When your dream job becomes a nightmare [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How doctors took back control from hospital executives

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • Why shared decision-making in medicine often fails

      M. Bennet Broner, PhD | Conditions
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • Why we fear being forgotten more than death itself

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • When your dream job becomes a nightmare [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Finding healing in narrative medicine: When words replace silence

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Conditions
    • Why coaching is not a substitute for psychotherapy

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When the white coats become gatekeepers: How a quiet cartel strangles America’s health

      Anonymous | Physician
    • Why doctors stay silent about preventable harm

      Jenny Shields, PhD | Conditions
    • Why interoperability is key to achieving the quintuple aim in health care

      Steven Lane, MD | Tech

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...