Isabella Hower, MOT

A neonatal occupational therapist and Certified Neonatal Therapist.

About

Isabella Hower is a neonatal occupational therapist and Certified Neonatal Therapist practicing in a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where she specializes in neurodevelopmental and family-centered care for medically complex and premature infants. She earned her master's degree in occupational therapy from the University of Florida, where she conducted graduate research as part of a faculty-led team affiliated with the university's Institute on Aging.

Her clinical experience spans adult acute care and neonatal intensive care. She provides education on neonatal developmental care to new nursing staff and is the lead author of peer-reviewed research on circadian rhythms, exercise, and cardiovascular health published in the Journal of Circadian Rhythms. Her writing explores the experiences of frontline health care workers, the systems in which they practice, and the intersection of health care policy and clinical care.

Latest articles

Health policy

Workplace violence in health care needs a national standard

Isabella Hower, MOT

October 8, 2026Oct 8, 2026

My foot slid on something wet as I entered the medical/surgical unit. Glancing down, I wondered vaguely who had spilled cranberry juice before registering the red droplets for what they were: blood. I looked over my shoulder and froze. A…

My foot slid on something wet as I entered the medical/surgical unit. Glancing down, I wondered vaguely who had spilled cranberry juice before registering the red droplets for what they were: blood.

I looked over my shoulder and froze. A patient stood in the deserted hallway, blood streaking his arm from where he appeared to have ripped out an IV. A pair of bandage scissors hung loosely in his hand.

I ran …

Health policy

Return or resign: the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act at work

Isabella Hower, MOT

September 26, 2026Sep 26, 2026

The first time I treated a newborn with the same congenital heart defect my unborn son was expected to have, I hesitated at the doorway. I couldn't stop picturing my own baby intubated and sedated, a fresh incision running the…

The first time I treated a newborn with the same congenital heart defect my unborn son was expected to have, I hesitated at the doorway. I couldn’t stop picturing my own baby intubated and sedated, a fresh incision running the length of his sternum.

I thought a terrifying fetal diagnosis would be the primary stressor of my pregnancy. I was wrong. The greatest obstacle wouldn’t come as a parent navigating her …