Heidi Niclas, RN, a mother-baby nurse in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was drawn to healthcare at a young age. Inspired by her grandmother, who was an emergency room nurse, Heidi dreamed of following in her footsteps to make a difference in the lives of others. In 2007, this dream was fulfilled, not only launching Heidi’s nursing…

Sexual Transmitted Infections (STIs) are on the rise for the fifth straight year and quite preventable. A STI, formerly known as a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an infection passed from one person to another through sexual contact like vaginal, oral or anal sex. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows an alarming…

Every day, new information surfaces on the spread of the coronavirus. And while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that children may be at a lower risk for COVID-19, a new pediatric health condition associated with the coronavirus has begun to make an appearance. Introducing Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) Multisystem…

As we navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, it is vitally important to continue with routine infant immunizations. New Mexico has seen a 20 percent decrease in immunizations given over the course of the past several months. In addition to taking precautions to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to your children, it is important to continue…

Chances are you know someone with a food allergy or diet restriction of some kind. We may worry about what to make, where to go, how to act and what is the social decorum for our friends with food allergies? The main concepts to remember are to ask, listen and respect. People are at different…

Babies cry. There is no way around it. They can’t talk and tell you what is upsetting them, so they cry. As your baby becomes familiar with the many nuances of life outside the womb, it may help to remember all the changes he or she is experiencing. As her new digestive system gets up…

Twenty years ago, I huddled around an empty chocolate tin. I had three kids and a husband. It was New Year’s Eve in Y2K (the year 2000). We decided to make a time capsule. We would open it in 2020. Back then, 2020 felt like eons away. On New Year’s Day of this year, that…

The history of midwifery in New Mexico comes from a long linage of rural, indigenous, and modern midwives. Midwives are often much more to their patients and communities than birth assistants. They are the caregivers and empowerers of women and thusly families and communities. A women’s reproductive life starts long before she has a child…

Lovelace Women’s Hospital is filled with employees who are ready and prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic we are facing. We are lucky to have people who are innovative, smart and pride themselves on giving our patients exceptional care, while maintaining a safe environment for all involved. Meet Marie Straughan, operating room RN. She is holding…

On the heels of National Nurses’ Day (May 6), I asked my co-worker, who has been a Labor and Delivery nurse for over 20 years, to reflect on her experience. She shared: “I embarked on a new career in Obstetric Nursing in 1990, which gives me 20 years on which to reflect. Obstetrics (OB) was…