“I’m a nurse first.”
Rhianon “Rhi” Brock is a dedicated NICU nurse at the James & Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital who has a passion for putting patients first. In fact, during the preparation of the photoshoot that accompanied this story, Rhi noticed one of the tiniest patients needed assistance and she hopped over to help. In that moment, nothing else mattered except the patient in need of care. As Rhi returned to the photoshoot she said proudly, “I’m a nurse first,” which underscores how she approaches the incredible work she does each day.
In her own words
“Well, I didn’t initially start off in nursing. I had a previous bachelor’s degree in Child Development. I was a preschool teacher for a few years. I loved it, but it just wasn’t where I was meant to be. One of the classes that I was required to take at the time was called ‘The Hospitalized Child.’ In the class, we discussed children and the effects of being in the hospital. I really enjoyed that class and I really enjoyed learning about anatomical development in the many courses I took to obtain my degree. I decided to take an anatomy class and go from there. One anatomy class turned to multiple anatomy classes and that led me to me applying for the accelerated nursing program at East Carolina University, getting accepted, graduating and starting my career at ECU Health. I have worked in the NICU for six years. I came straight out of school and I’ve just been working on this unit ever since.
I have always loved children. I’m the oldest of three and yes, I’m the typical older child, I’m the mother. While I was in nursing school, I wanted to focus on midwifery – so I thought I would work on the OB side of it and deliver babies. I really love the birth to 3-year-old range. My preschoolers have a special place in my heart. Of course, now they’re all in middle school.
When I had the chance to shadow in the NICU during undergrad, I enjoyed the teamwork aspect of the department. We did not refer to patients as my patients or your patients, it’s “our patients.” There are doctors with respiratory therapists, with nurses, with nurse practitioners, with pharmacists, nutritionists, all disciplines.
Everyone works together to care for our patients and everyone has the same goal. And just being here and learning so much because there’s so much to learn. And it’s not just one system, it’s all the systems. You also have congenital, afterbirth, and post-term events that can happen – you see all ranges. I’ve seen our tiniest patients fight, work hard and endure so much more than your biggest bodybuilder probably ever could in just six weeks of life. A few were born at 22 – 23 weeks gestation when they should have been inside for a quite a bit longer.
I’ve just had so many great mentors being nurses and different trainers, even doctors that I actually will start ECU’s Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program here in the fall!
I want to become a nurse practitioner here at ECU Health because I just want to do more for this community.”