Nurses are the foundation of Binto's "why." Nurses carry us through so much of our lives with so little recognition—at every appointment, emergency, vaccine, they are holding our hands. We thank our nurses for their strength, compassion, charisma and sacrifices in taking care of patients. So what better way to honor National Nurses Week than with a daily feature of some of our favorites? Read on.
Nicole Didizian, RN-BSN, CBC, CCE, Founder and CEO of Main Line Family Education
What inspired you to become a nurse? My dad. He is a physician, and for years I watched him care for his patients and develop trusting relationships. When he was approaching retirement, he invited me into the OR with him to observe a surgical procedure. I loved every minute of the experience and remember telling him that day: “I want to go into medicine”. My own nursing career has allowed me to emotionally connect with my patients and their families and provide support during the times when they feel most vulnerable. It feels like a calling for sure, and I am grateful to have experienced some truly wonderful connections with my patients.
What are some of the most challenging situations you have faced as a nurse and how did you overcome them? Whenever someone in your care receives bad news, it’s hard for the entire medical team. I have been in the room for the most wonderful outcomes and also for the saddest. In those tough moments, my job is to support my patient and their family. There were many times when I had to suppress my own emotions. On those days, my co-workers were always there for me. We would cry together back in the locker room and hold each other up. There is no one who can understand exactly what you’re going through like your fellow nurses. They were, and are, friends who feel like family.
Can you share a story about a patient you helped to make a significant improvement in their health? I was caring for a mom-to-be early on in my career and she suddenly encountered a rare complication. Because I was new at my job, I called for help early. That ended up being a blessing because we quickly learned that the baby needed to be delivered right away. That night, I witnessed the efforts of an incredible labor and delivery team that worked tirelessly to give mom and baby a good outcome. And thank goodness, they were successful. Two years later, this family reached out to ask if I would be their labor nurse again when they delivered their second baby. We had been through so much together, and a second (smooth!) delivery let them create new, happy memories. I will always be grateful that they invited me to be there. We still keep in touch, almost 15 years later.
How do you balance the emotional demands of nursing with your own well-being and self-care? This is a tough one! When you are emotionally connected to your work, it doesn’t really feel like a “job”, it feels like a mission. That’s what makes it harder to achieve a work-life/home-life balance for me. I’m not always the best at stopping to check my own tank to see if it’s depleted, but I’m working on it! As my children have grown, they’ve been the most helpful reminders to take that time to connect and recharge. I’m a better mother and better at my job when I can incorporate self-care into my schedule. Yoga and reading are two of my favorite ways to unplug.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering becoming a nurse? Do it! There are SO many benefits to this career and the challenges can be managed. There are also lots of opportunities that are open to you once you get your professional nursing license (RN). You will grow so much, both personally and professionally as a nurse. Your co-workers will become some of your best friends. Knowing you can truly make a difference for someone every day is an incredible feeling. Being a nurse has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.
What from your nursing experience inspired you to start your company? Not having enough time to spend with my patients to provide the education and support they wanted while in the hospital. It really was that simple. As the patient census and demands on staff increased, the time allotted to provide in-the-moment education decreased. New parents were getting more and more nervous and would say “I still have so many questions” or “I don’t feel ready to go home yet” when it came time for discharge. They wanted dedicated time and space for their questions to be answered by an expert. They wanted to learn skills like CPR and newborn care ahead of time to feel more prepared and less anxious. So, 4 years ago I set out to create that with Main Line Family Education. The connections I make with patients are a bit different now that I’m a full-time educator, but they’re still incredibly meaningful. And it makes me so happy when former co-workers, both nurses, and physicians, reach out to share that their patients’ birth experience was positively impacted by the education they received at MLFEd!
What do you love about Binto? Suzie got it right when she created a company that focuses on personalizing supplementation for women. No one wants to feel like they’re being given a “one-size-fits-all” approach, and it’s always important for patients to have access to experts to ask questions. Binto offers 1-on-1 consults with health professionals to make sure they get each patient’s supplementation needs just right. I don’t know of another company that is this dedicated to women’s health: from pre-pregnancy through menopause and beyond.