For Hollee Harris, RN, working in health care felt like destiny. She started her professional career with about two years ago. The registered nurse began in internal medicine and now works for maternal newborn and women鈥檚 health, where she provides care for mothers after birth.
Hollee also comes from a family of medical professionals. At the time of Hollee鈥檚 birth, her mother Cheryl Harris, had just graduated from medical assistant school. Hollee鈥檚 grandmother was a licensed practical nurse.
鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember,鈥 Hollee said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always been a fascination and connection to the hospital.鈥
But her connection to U of U Health started 30 years earlier: Hollee is a former NICU patient. Her stay lasted 84 days.
Cheryl was 24 weeks along in her pregnancy with Hollee when she awoke in the night from a gush of fluid. Concerned, she went to a hospital in Utah County, where the medical staff discovered she was having contractions. Cheryl was transferred to University of Utah Hospital by ambulance, where the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) team was prepared to provide care for both mother and baby.
U of U Health doctors and nurses worked quickly to assess the pair. The team decided to perform an amnioinfusion, a procedure that pumps fluid into the amniotic cavity to stop her contractions.
For the time being, Cheryl and Hollee were stable.
At the 25-week mark, Cheryl鈥檚 bloodwork showed signs of an infection. The medical team made the decision: It was time to deliver.
Hollee was born weighing 2 pounds and measuring just 12 inches long.
Upon seeing Hollee in the NICU for the first time, Cheryl wasn鈥檛 sure her daughter would make it. Hollee was born without skin, no breast pads, and eyes still fused shut.
[Her] fingers looked like matchsticks and [her] head was the size of an orange,鈥 Cheryl recalled. 鈥淸She] was hooked up to so many different things.鈥
Throughout Hollee鈥檚 tenure in the NICU, Cheryl would receive calls asking for permission to try medical procedures. She consented in the hopes of treating her daughter鈥攁nd also providing help for the next baby and mother in the NICU.
Sue Rogers, RNC, NICU nursing manager at U of U Health, said this type of research is critical to making medical advancements. Sue has worked in the NICU for the past 30 years and has seen the impact firsthand.
鈥淩esearch has been key to a lot of our improvements for patient outcomes and all of the work that we do,鈥 Rogers said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to see the way we improve our care not only for babies but also for moms.鈥
At the time of Hollee鈥檚 birth, the medical team started a trial of Surfactant, a treatment for Hollee's underdeveloped lungs. The treatment stabilizes the air sacs and helps the lungs from collapsing.
Surfactant was a research protocol back then, according to Sue. Now, Surfactant is a common treatment in the NICU.
This has also helped keep babies off ventilators, which can cause severe trauma to the lung tissue and lead babies to develop a variety of complications long term.
鈥淏ack in the day, almost every baby in the room would be on a ventilator,鈥 Rogers recalled.
At 3 days old, Hollee had the ductus arteriosus, a blood vessel that connects the aorta to the pulmonary artery in a fetus, stapled shut. Hollee鈥檚 surgeon went through her side and back rather than her front鈥攁 procedure that was a first of its kind. Hollee has a scar on her back to this day, a reminder of the groundbreaking medical care she was a part of.
鈥淣ICU babies back then didn鈥檛 always survive,鈥 Hollee said, reflecting on the stories she鈥檚 heard of her birth from her mother. 鈥淭here are still things that can go wrong, but medicine has come so far.鈥
The plan was for Hollee to remain in the NICU until her original due date, or until she reached 5 pounds, but Cheryl鈥檚 medical team was happy with Hollee鈥檚 progress and released the pair a few weeks early. Hollee was sent home connected to oxygen and a heart monitor.
Rogers says Cheryl鈥檚 commitment to her daughter was a vital part of her recovery.
鈥淧arental support is huge,鈥 Rogers said. 鈥淗ollee鈥檚 mom was very involved and really supported her through her development. It鈥檚 a big reason why she鈥檚 here today.鈥
The pair regularly followed up with the medical team. Two weeks later, Hollee came off the heart monitor. A few months later, she came off the oxygen. Hollee has had no major medical complications since.
Hollee said she originally planned to be a labor and delivery nurse. But as she progressed in school, she found a passion for postpartum care.
Hollee said she鈥檚 grateful for finding her place at U of U Health.
鈥淚n my mind, U of U Health is the best, the elite of the elite,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 was born here; it鈥檚 coming full circle.鈥
Cheryl couldn鈥檛 be prouder of her daughter, who defied the odds of survival.
鈥淚 would always say, 鈥楬ow awesome it would be if you ended up at the hospital where you were born and share your journey with moms who are in the same situation you and I were in 30+ years ago?鈥欌 Cheryl said.
鈥淚t just goes to show I was here for a reason,鈥 Hollee added.
