As an essential part of the healthcare industry, nurses provide critical care and support to patients in various settings. Behind every skilled nurse is a solid education and rigorous training that prepares them to provide quality care to vulnerable populations.
Ami Bulsara, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse, has been on the job for two years. In that time, she has become an integral part of her team. Bulsara exudes passion in her work, which she built working administrative roles within the healthcare industry. As an administrator, Bulsara gained the sort of hands-on knowledge of the healthcare industry that is not available in schools.
Bulsara started as a medical assistant with an OBGYN before moving into more clerical work at a medical office. “I managed the appointment books, managed billing and insurance handling. Later, I would also scribe with the doctor in the room and take notes.”
Eventually, Bulsara would gain medical experience, helping clinical doctors with simple procedures. When she first began to work with patients, Bulsara knew she was destined to be a nurse.
“That was a perfect experience for me because that was my first job in the healthcare field, it helped me become used to working in a team with a doctor as a partner,” said Bulsara.
Many nursing students enter their education fresh and novice to the industry, but Bulsara entered her nursing program with hands-on experience working with patients, and providing care. Nursing education has come a long way over the years. Gone are the days of simply learning the basics of patient care and medical procedures. Today, nursing education programs strive to create well-rounded professionals who possess not only clinical skills but also passion.
Rather than streaming nursing students as they enter college, nursing programs prefer to give each student a taste of the different units within a hospital. Bulsara was able to hone her passion for providing care by finding a place where her skills could be put to the test.
“My time in the neonatal ICU sparked my interest in that population,” explained Bulsara. “So after that clinical experience, I realized once I graduated from nursing school, I wanted to go into work in a NICU.”
Ami Bulsara eventually graduated and made it as a Level Three nurse in the NICU. In her role within the NICU, Ami Bulsara works with infants as young as 23 weeks. Not only does she assist doctors with some of the most vulnerable patients in the hospital, but she also tries to alleviate the suffering parents go through with a sick child.
“One other part of this job that I’ve loved a lot has been working with the parents of these babies. I think that’s one part of the job that I didn’t expect to love as much.”
Bulsara takes time to talk with new parents who are going through a hard time. By answering their questions and helping them feel safe, Bulsara tries to affect patient care through family health.
“It is difficult when parents are discharged, but the baby is still in the hospital,” said Bulsara. Taking the time to talk with parents is not necessarily part of the job description, but makes Bulsara an exceptional nurse. Her dedication to parents is also being passed on through her mentorship of other nurses.
Just as Bulsara once walked into the NICU as a student, she now has the opportunity to mentor new students who arrive to do their practicum in her unit. Passing down her knowledge and passion for providing care is part of her duty to the industry.
Ami Bulsara is preparing for the future by engaging students and becoming one again. Currently, in a Master of Science and Nursing, Bulsara is excited to complete the next phase of her training by becoming a nurse practitioner (NP). As an NP, Bulsara will have her own patients and be allowed to prescribe medication. Always moving forward, Bulsara proves that the future of nursing is bright.
