In recognition of Neuroscience Nurses Week, we will feature some of the dedicated individuals who make the
Mass General Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NeuroICU) such a positive, welcoming and special place to work. The 22-bed adult inpatient unit specializes in caring for critically ill patients, including those who have had stroke, brain or back surgery, or spinal cord injuries.
Juliana Helland, RN, works on the Mass General Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit (NeuroICU) and here she shares what it’s like to work in the busy and rewarding field.
What do you look forward to each day?
The thing that gets me excited to come to work in the morning is the same thing that excited me about nursing when I first thought of it as a career—caring for patients. I read a name on a piece of paper almost as soon as I walk in the unit doors but, throughout the day, that patient is the reason why I do almost everything. I become their voice, their advocate. I am involved in something much bigger than myself. That, in and of itself, I am able to do as a nurse anywhere. But here at Mass General, I feel genuinely appreciated and I work with people who share my passion. I am provided with the tools and resources to perform my job and feel proud.
What do you most enjoy or value about the Mass General NeuroICU?
The environment in the NeuroICU at Mass General is unique. The multidisciplinary team is composed of the best in the world, leaders in their field. The nursing staff is highly valued and very autonomous in practice. As nurses we support each other; each member of the team is valued, and their contributions are appreciated. The nursing ratios are better than anywhere else I have worked. We also have access to the most up-to-date practices and technologies available. The encouragement from management and leadership to pursue individual interests is also unprecedented in my experience, and there is an abundance of opportunities to get involved in research, committees, practice councils, etc.
Want to learn more about NueroICU Nursing? Visit
www.massgeneral.org/careers, search for job ID # 3132842, and click MGH Main Campus.
