I am a rising senior at Terry Sanford High School. Every summer I volunteer with American Red Cross at Womack Army Medical Center. This summer I volunteered with the public affairs office. Last year, I volunteered in the step down unit, performed administrative duties and earned the American Red Cross Volunteer of the Month award for August 2013.
While volunteering this summer, I was given the opportunity to interview two registered nurses. One of the nurses is Maj. Wendy Lai, a native of Honolulu. Lai works in the birthing unit and delivers babies and sees outpatients who are injured. She sees patients through over 20 weeks of pregnancy. Lai has worked at Womack for three years.
The second nurse is Leigh Carte from Ridgefield, Connecticut. Carte works in the Mother Baby Unit where she takes care of ante- and post-partum patients as well as sick, pre-term delivery patients. Carte has worked at WAMC for 11 years.
When asked why they chose their current field the nurses had different reasons.
"One day I was in a waiting room with my child and other mothers and I realized that there is a huge need for quality nurses in this field," said Lai.
"I was tired of delivering bad news to Families in the Emergency Department. When I realized I did not want to do that anymore, I moved to labor and delivery where I could deliver good news now," said Carte.
Lai and Carte said they enjoy working with people.
"I love seeing Families grow. Having a baby is one of the most memorable moments in someone's life, like a wedding," said Lai.
"The cohesiveness of employees and the incredible staff -- I enjoy teaching new mothers how to care for their newborns," said Carte.
WAMC delivers about nine babies a day; about 270 per month. In September 2013, the unit delivered 335 babies -- a record for the medical center.
The nurses agreed that their most rewarding experience as nurses is keeping in touch with their patients throughout the years.
"Keeping connection with your patients, having them send you pictures of their children as they grow is amazing," said Lai and Carte.
And the person who inspired these women to become nurses?
"My grandmother received home healthcare from a nurse. My original intent was to go to school for geriatrics," Lai said.
"My mother was a nurse. I wanted to become a paramedic, but instead I became an emergency room nurse. I later went on to become a labor and delivery nurse, now I work in post-partum care," said Carte.
As parting advice to prospective nurses, Lai said it is important to be passionate about the profession.
"You must love what you do," said Carte.
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