Seeing Through A Nurse’s Eyes
The Impact of Photo-Sharing in the NICU: A Nurse's Perspective
When Keriton Kare first came to my unit, the photo-sharing function introduced a new workflow for staff. Initially, we were skeptical about sending pictures to families. Did parents want photos of their babies with all the wires and equipment? Would it disrupt mothers already coping with sleep loss and stress?
The first night I used the app, one of my patients was very premature and sick, with a breathing tube and multiple IVs. I was nervous about sending photos to his parents because it was hard to hide all the equipment. Still, with some hesitation, I decided to try my best.
During my first hands-on care of the night, I captured a picture of him holding his breathing tube while looking at me with an adorable glare. Later, I got one of him with his hand covering his eyes, clearly saying, “Not you again!” My final picture of the night was after I positioned him on his stomach, and he naturally tucked his hands sweetly beneath his chin.
I was used to seeing infants at his stage of prematurity, so the little faces and positions I captured didn’t strike me as unique. I sent the pictures off and went about my night.
The next morning, around change-of-shift, his mother arrived on the unit with a big smile. I was taken aback by her mood, as she always seemed downcast and somber since his birth.
“Did you send the pictures last night?” she asked. I nodded.
Her eyes filled with tears. “Thank you,” she said. “You finally let me see my son as a baby. For the first time, I feel like a mother.”
Her words hit me hard. All night, I worried the pictures would upset her, missing the unique perspective they provided. It was easy for me to focus on his little face and hands and ignore the distressing medical equipment. Touching him wasn’t terrifying—posing his little limbs was part of my routine nursing care. Those pictures? I realized how precious they must seem. The Kare Nurse app allowed me to share a vision of her child through my nursing eyes.
Over the next few weeks, as more parents shared similar experiences, the NICU staff and I embraced photo-sharing as a new way to engage and comfort families. Pumping parents reported that receiving photos overnight motivated them to stay on schedule. We started using the photos to capture other special moments like baths and feedings.
Those photos became a tool for us to build a connection between families and the hospital, keeping them closer to their baby’s journey in the NICU.
This April 25-29, hospitals throughout the US will observe Patient Experience Week—a time to celebrate how healthcare workers affect the healing experience of patients and their families. As nurses, we know that building therapeutic relationships starts with kindness and empathy, but my experience with photo-sharing in the NICU served as a true lesson in expanding my perspective to improve the patient experience.
May we always strive to seek new ways to offer support and comfort to the families in our care. And may we never take for granted how simple gestures can profoundly influence a patient’s journey.
About the Author
Kelly Convery is the Clinical Quality Manager for Keriton. She’s a registered nurse with over 15 years of healthcare experience, primarily in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She has been active in quality improvement projects and implementing best practice initiatives throughout her career.