'Full circle': NICU nurse works in same hospital unit that saved her life

One Pennsylvania nurse has described having a "full circle moment" after starting a job in the same NICU unit where she was treated as an infant.

Key Takeaways:

• Allyson Smyth works as a NICU nurse at Main Line Health's Bryn Mawr Hospital, where she herself was treated as an infant.

• One of her coworkers cared for her as a baby.

• Smyth said her NICU stay, and the passing of her twin brother in the NICU, inspired her to choose a career in nursing.

The Details:

Allyson Smyth started work as a nurse in the NICU at Main Line Health's Bryn Mawr Hospital in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Though she was new to the job, the NICU unit was a familiar place — it's where she was cared for as an infant 30 years ago.

Nurse gives back to NICU that treated her 30 years ago

One of Smyth's new coworkers, Karen Lenker, was among those who cared for Smyth as a baby. Though Smyth was born 30 years ago, Lenker remembered her; when Smyth first started working, her name rang a bell.

"And that’s when it all came back," she recalled to 6abc Philadelphia. "And I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh. I took care of you all the time, I was at your first birthday party.' She brought her parents into the unit right after she started working here, so it was neat seeing them again.” 

Zoom In:

As an infant, Smyth was in the NICU for 116 days after her birth. Her twin brother, William, passed away the day after they were born. Smyth said that her experience in the NICU, and the loss of William, motivated her to choose a career in nursing.

"Hearing the story of my NICU journey definitely shaped my mindset in choosing nursing," she explained. "It really felt like a full circle moment to be able to work at Bryn Mawr Hospital in the unit that I owe my life to, and it saved my life."

The Bottom Line:

Lenker said watching babies like Smyth pull through is what keeps her working.

“It’s so neat to see the sickest babies pull through and survive,” Lenker said. “That’s why I love this job, and as I said, I’m 66, soon to be 67, and I’m still working full time. So it’s going to be a hard job to leave. That’s why I think Ally should follow in my footsteps and maybe work til 70 in the NICU. But I don’t know if she’ll take me up on that.”