NICU nurse comes full circle at Ascension Saint Agnes

Christen Ierardi's connection to Ascension Saint Agnes began before she was old enough to remember it.

Born at the hospital as a twin at 36 weeks, Ierardi weighed 4 pounds, 3 ounces and spent her first days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Years later, she returned as a nurse, joining the same NICU team that cared for her as an infant. Some of the clinicians who care for her were still on staff.

"The hiring manager was actually one of the nurses who took care of us," Ierardi said.

Four years ago, Ierardi experienced the NICU from another perspective when her newborn son developed an infection and breathing difficulties, requiring a weeklong stay in the unit.

"There was always that confidence he was in wonderful hands," she said. "But that separation was something I can't even put into words."

The experience changed how she connects with parents facing the uncertainty of a NICU stay, helping her deliver compassionate, patient-centered care.

Wendy Lincoln, Chief Nursing Officer, Ascension Saint Agnes, says Ierardi's personal experience helps inform how she supports families.

"Christen understands the NICU from the perspective of a patient, a parent, and a nurse," Lincoln said. "That gives her a unique understanding of what families need while they're here."

As NICU Awareness Month is observed in September, Ierardi continues to care for families in the same Ascension Saint Agnes unit where her own story began.

Learn more about intensive care for newborns and personalized pregnancy care at Ascension Saint Agnes.