Day in the Life of ED Pediatric Nurse Mayra Sucupira de Oliveira

Mayra Sucupra de Oliveira, BSN, RN, has been a nurse for more than ten years with experience as a coordinator and specialist in managing the health department in Minas Gerais, Brazil. After emigrating to the United States, Mayra successfully transferred her degree and received her Registered Professional Nurse license in New York. For the past two years, she has been a pediatric nurse in the emergency department at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, delivering compassionate care while managing approximately 30 critically ill patients per shift.

Morning Huddle

Here, during the morning huddle, L-R, Anna Corenthal, RN, Head Nurse, Mayra, Tsering Youdon, RN and Cheme Tairap, RN, nurses get a better understanding of patient status, equipment and supply needs, environmental concerns and any staffing issues. Each day, there is a specific quality/performance improvement project update during the huddle.

“I’ve had a long journey to get here, and there’s still a long way to go. Sometimes, I can hardly believe that I am a pediatric ER nurse in New York City.”

Shift Preparation

To prepare for a busy shift ahead, Mayra makes the rounds in the pediatric ED to ensure supplies in the trauma bay are properly stocked and that equipment is ready to receive incoming patients.

“I usually have a checklist to ensure the trauma bay is ready to accept patients. This includes verifying that the cables for the vitals monitor are properly connected, ensuring the suction devices are functioning, testing the defibrillator and ultrasound machine, and checking the intubation equipment and IV sets. Additionally, I make sure we have a full range of supplies in various sizes to accommodate all our patients—from infants to adolescents.”

“Caring for tiny babies goes beyond just looking after the little ones; it’s also about being there for the parents during a vulnerable time. It warms my heart to see the relief and joy on their faces when I can offer them comfort and assurance that everything will turn out just fine. It’s truly fulfilling to transform what can be a frightening experience for them into a hopeful and positive outcome for their child.”

“It’s also very different caring for children because I often have to first gain their trust to before they tell me exactly what’s going on with them. It can be a little chaotic for them being in the ED environment because they have no idea what’s going on with all these providers around and it’s not always clear that we are here to take care of them. It requires building trust with them, so that they are confident enough to state what’s wrong so we can provide excellent care.”

Here Mayra huddles with EMT, attending pediatric ED physician Dennis Heon (foreground), ED nurse Tsering Youdon, and head pediatric ED nurse, Anna Corenthal prior to receiving a Level 2 trauma patient.

Caring for Children

“Doing the COVID test on babies can be a huge challenge sometimes—but we have to do it for their safety and ours. After earning the baby’s trust, I then have to do this test that can be very irritating and unexpected…and we then have to make them comfortable again…but we can get results in 20 minutes and this is a huge convenience for the parents’ peace of mind.”

“Compassion is what truly defines nursing for me. When I approach my young patients, along with their parents and families, with empathy and kindness, I build trusting relationships that help them feel more comfortable during their care. My ability to speak more than three languages allows me to connect and understand both the patients and their families more effectively. I believe it is essential to show them that, no matter the circumstances, the entire health care team are here to help, with the priority being that the patient leaves in better condition than when they arrived. I passionately advocate for the immigrant population, as our health system may be their only option at that time.”

“It is an honor to be part of the oldest hospital in America and one of the largest hospitals in the United States. For many, this may seem insignificant, but for me, it represents the culmination of all my sacrifices and is a significant step towards realizing God’s dreams for me.”