From Graduation to Pediatric ICU Nurse: Betsy Roche Reflects on Her First Year as a Nurse

"I chose to work in pediatrics because I have always loved working with kiddos, and my heart has a soft spot for sick kiddos, especially in such critical care environments," said Betsy Roche '24, an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse at Children's Nebraska, a pediatric hospital in Omaha. "Kids are so resilient, and the smiles I still see from little ones going through such harrowing medical experiences are inspiring."

Roche decided to attend Mount Marty University because of the sense of community she noticed when she visited. "I was met with smiling faces and people who truly wanted to get to know me." Through the nursing program, Roche experienced numerous clinical placements. One clinical rotation that still sticks with Roche is from her time in home health and hospice, where she provided end-of-life care to a patient in his final hours. "I find it so humbling to have a career where I have seen everything from a baby's first breath to someone else's last. As I sat with this gentleman and told him about the farm I grew up on and the weather outside, I remember feeling so honored to have been there for such a vulnerable moment. I carry this feeling with me and remind myself that what may just be another shift for us can be a pivotal moment for a patient and their family. I think this experience helps me to keep the humanity of nursing at the center of my career, even on the difficult days."

In the year Roche graduated from Mount Marty, she accepted an ICU flex nurse position with Children's Nebraska and married Daniel Roche ’22. At Children's Nebraska, Roche can work in the neonatal, pediatric, and cardiac ICUs along with the emergency department, medical-surgical units and the hematology-oncology unit. Each day differs for Roche, depending on where she is stationed. "I love it when I get to make a kiddo giggle; hearing a little one laugh or seeing their eyes light up when they are finally starting to feel like themselves again is why we do what we do! I also love the meaningful moments we get to create for families who are going through difficult times. Getting to see a mom hold her baby for the first time after heart surgery or a dad get to feed them their first bottle after their feeding tube has been removed is so touching." Roche said the environment she works in is fun and never dull as they get special visits from their therapy dogs, Frito, Sansa and Howie, Santa and the Easter Bunny, and princesses and beloved childhood characters to help raise spirits. "Children's is so much more than the medical care that we provide."

Working with pediatrics can also be challenging for Roche, especially when she loses a patient. "One particularly impactful moment from my first year as a nurse was when I was able to provide care for a young girl who had suffered a traumatic brain injury, and her parents had made the courageous decision to donate her organs." The organ donation process consisted of days of testing and finding placements for the organs while the child was still on life support and the child's family was grieving. "This day was truly emotional for me. To be in a career where I can be so up close and personal with someone's grief and get to know them and their story is such an honor to me."

Roche advises current nursing students to "immerse yourself into the program and form a relationship with the educators that are guiding you — preceptors, professors, peers. Nursing school is not something you can do alone; at its core, nursing is collaborative, and you have to build your support system and trust others that share your common goal." She also recommends finding an outlet to decompress. For nursing students about to take their boards, she said trusting yourself is key. "You have put in all the work, and you wouldn't have made it this far if you weren't ready. Study a small bit each day; don't cram. And the night before boards, put your books away, spend some quality time doing something you love and get a good rest!"

Lastly, for nursing students about to enter their first year, Roche's number one piece of advice is to stay humble and ask questions, as no one expects you to know it all. "Confidence in nursing just comes with time and consistency."

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About Mount Marty University

Founded in 1936 by the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Mount Marty University is South Dakota's only Catholic, Benedictine institution of higher education. Located along the bluffs of the Missouri River in Yankton, with additional locations in Watertown and Sioux Falls, Mount Marty offers undergraduate and graduate degrees focusing on student and alumni success in high-demand fields such as health sciences, education, criminal justice, business, accounting, recreation management, and more. A community of learners in the Benedictine tradition, Mount Marty emphasizes academic excellence and develops well-rounded students with intellectual competence, professional and personal skills and moral, spiritual and social values. To learn more, visit mountmarty.edu.