Neonatal nurse practitioner joins staff at Blessing Hospital’s Blessed Beginnings birth center

QUINCY — Lacy Nichols, neonatal nurse practitioner, has joined the staff of Blessing Hospital’s Blessed Beginnings birth center.

A neonatal nurse practitioner specializes in caring for preterm and full-term newborns from birth through 28 days of life.

One in ten babies in the United States is born prematurely, according to the March of Dimes. Prematurity can cause problems for babies throughout their lives. Until Nichols joined the staff as neonatal nurse practitioner, most premature babies born at Blessing Hospital were transferred to a neonatal unit in Springfield or St. Louis, Mo.

“My extensive training allows me to care for many high-risk newborns right here at Blessing Hospital. It is important to me to keep these babies and their families here in our community,” Nichols said in a press release.

A graduate of Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences, she spent 16 years on the Blessed Beginnings staff as a registered nurse before continuing her education and becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner. Nichols graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is board certified by the National Certification Corporation.

“I am very passionate about caring for the babies in our community, but I understand that I am not only caring for a newborn but also providing support for the entire family during a time of uncertainty and significant stress,” Nichols said. “Nothing is more rewarding than watching a baby overcome obstacles and celebrating those wins with the family.”

Blessed Beginnings is recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois with a Blue Distinction® Centers for Maternity Care designation (BDC). A facility earning this designation must prove it delivers quality care safely and effectively. Based on data from the current designation cycle, facilities designated under the BDC for Maternity Care program demonstrate higher-quality care compared to non-BDC facilities.