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UVA Health University Medical Center's Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is welcoming a remarkable number of new arrivals! With eight nurses either recently having newborns or preparing to do so — the unit has become a place of shared excitement, deep support, and teamwork during a season of major life transitions. After all, one of our guiding principles is caring for and empowering our fellow team members, and one of our strategic plan's key initiatives is making UVA Health a best place to work.

“Our managers have been amazing at helping us schedule breaks and prepare the unit for the changes ahead,” says Sarah Warring, MSN, RN, CNL, CPAN. “I think it shows our resiliency and dedication to patient care, even when big life changes are happening to many of our coworkers.”

For many PACU nurses, this moment also has deepened how they see their patients. “I've realized that everyone was an infant at one point — helpless, relying on caregivers for every need,” Warring says. “I look at my patients differently now. I see them at their core.”

Here are several of the many growing families behind the PACU baby boom — and how the unit’s nurse management team — Lashanda Baker, BSN, RN, CMSRN; Katherine Kois, MSN, RN, PCCN; Ashley O’Keefe, MSN, RN, CNL; Anika Spry, MSN, RN, CPAN; Michael Wald, BSN, RN, PED-BC; and Charge Nurse Christin Child, BSN, RN, CEN — is supporting them through their experiences:

Megan Gibson, RN

Gibson welcomed her “smiley little guy,” Ridge, in early October. Before she went on leave, she appreciated all the support she received from team members and management.

“It was really nice to chat with all the other expecting parents when I was pregnant — whether it was to share advice or solidarity in the discomforts of pregnancy,” she recalls.

And as a wage employee, she is grateful she was able to take a full 12 weeks of leave, thanks to the help of her Assistant Nurse Manager Baker.

As she prepares to return to work, Gibson feels inspired. “I’ve always wanted to care for patients as if they were family, but becoming a mom makes you really value what that means. I strive to be the nurse I'd want caring for my children.”

Corey McWilliams, RN, BSN

McWilliams welcomed twins in November. “Our managers were amazing in making sure that my scheduling needs were met at the end of my wife’s pregnancy,” he says.

Currently on leave, he admits he’s nervous about getting back into patient care. “Taking care of two kids is very overstimulating at times,” he admits. “Going back to a job where you have to be alert at all times is a little intimidating, but it will be an adjustment I know I will make!” One thing McWilliams knows will help is having the support of his colleagues. “Our unit is really rooting for each other as we all enter this next stage of our lives and become closer because of it.” 

Jessica Wald, BSN, RN, CPN and Michael Wald, BSN, RN, PED-BC
 
Jessica welcomed her son, Rowan James, on an early December date that also marks her late grandfather’s birthday. Jessica's husband, Michael Wald, BSN, RN, PED-BC, PACU Assistant Nurse Manager, agrees that the atmosphere on the unit has been very celebratory.

Reflecting on how parenthood shapes her perspective at work, Jessica shares, “I work in pediatrics, and it brings me closer to the patients and families who are going through such vulnerable times with their littles.” 

Elizabeth A. Rogers, RN, BSN

Rogers is expecting her baby early this year and is keeping the gender a secret. Reflecting on the environment within the PACU, she says: “The managers and team members in general have been mindful of our changing needs. Everyone is really looking out for one another and seems genuinely excited for each of us!”

Morgan Short, BSN, RN, CCRN

Short will welcome her son, Liam, in early February, but he's already making his presence felt. “He loves to move! He’s a wiggly thing!” she describes.

Reflecting on support from unit management, she shares, “Everyone has been extremely supportive. They are constantly wanting to check to see how we are feeling, texting to see how appointments went, making sure we have the support we need. They have been very open about us taking the time we need prior to coming back to work.”

Short also notes how planning and communication have helped the unit adapt. “We’ve been discussing lunch shift selection moving forward to make sure the unit can accommodate all the lunch and lactation breaks. It's really nice to be in such a caring environment.” 

Short’s advice for expecting and new parents? “Balance in all aspects of your life is so important. Make sure you are taking care of yourself, or it’s hard to care for others. Just being aware of when you need a break or follow-up with a physician can be extremely important and can make a big difference with how productive you can be at work.”

Sarah Warring, MSN, RN, CNL, CPAN
“I felt very supported with my last baby here in the PACU,” says Warring, who is expecting a girl this spring. “I was allotted plenty of time for pump breaks and felt like my time was respected. There is a culture within our unit that honors work-life balance. This has always been a big part of the PACU. With this second baby, I know I will receive the same amount of support, even with several other mamas on the unit. Plans are still underway, but our managers have assured that we will all be taken care of. Our scheduler, Ashley, is amazing, so I have no doubt she will make sure we are staffed enough to support our parental leave and break times.”

Mallori Byrd, RN, BSN, CPAN
Also due this spring, Byrd shares that she is preparing herself for how her job will be different after the baby arrives. “I’m actively reminding myself to enjoy life the way it is now before it changes in new exciting ways, but without the extra things to be thinking about all the time.”

Byrd says there has been a running joke in the PACU for several months now to not drink the water on the unit unless you're ready to commit to parenthood! “I giggled for a month or so when people told me that before I had shared with coworkers that I was already pregnant, so the water advice was too late!”

Byrd is grateful for unit support. “Even with the surplus of expectant staff on our unit, managers have expressed only positivity and support with each new pregnancy reveal.”

Together, these stories reflect more than a baby boom. They highlight a PACU culture rooted in empathy, flexibility, and a shared commitment to caring for one another — through every stage of life! Congratulations to all! We're wondering if a PACU Playgroup is forming?