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Susan Murphy has dedicated her entire career to caring for newborns. She has worked as a NICU Registered Nurse for more than 35 years, the majority of them at Sentara hospitals.
“I absolutely love caring for babies,” says Susan, an RN in the NICU at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital. “Singing and talking to them when their parents are not able to be with them or just holding them a bit extra while I chart brings me great joy!”
NICU nurses, however, don’t solely focus on the babies. They also support and teach new parents how to care for their infants, preparing them for when the baby is healthy enough to go home.
“For these babies, one common challenge is learning to breast or bottle feed,” explains Susan, who started out as a candy striper at Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital during her senior year of high school. “We teach, encourage and positively reinforce the babies and parents so they can all thrive together and go home as families.”
Susan recently passed her high-risk neonatal certification exam and teaches neonatal resuscitation. Her dedication to her profession has inspired her daughter Ryan to enter the healthcare field. Ryan currently works as a unit coordinator in the Antepartum Unit at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
“It’s quite an honor to be cited as an inspiration because, frankly, I am always inspired by others around me,” Susan says. “Especially my fellow team members in the NICU and at SPAH’s Family Maternity Center.”
Susan and her husband have five children ranging from 11- to 29-years-old. The couple, who met in third grade and have been married for 35 years, also have a grandbaby on the way.
Susan Murphy has dedicated her entire career to caring for newborns. She has worked as a NICU Registered Nurse for more than 35 years, the majority of them at Sentara hospitals.
“I absolutely love caring for babies,” says Susan, an RN in the NICU at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital. “Singing and talking to them when their parents are not able to be with them or just holding them a bit extra while I chart brings me great joy!”
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