From Nursing School to Now: Tia Miller's Journey to the NICU

In honor of Neonatal Nurses Day, we're excited to share our Co-founder Tia's journey that highlights the resilience, passion, and dedication it takes to become a NICU nurse. We're jumping right into it and diving deeper into Tia's path from an unexpected start in nursing to her incredible role as a neonatal intensive care nurse, transport specialist, and educator.

❤️‍🩹Discovering Nursing through Tragedy
I never thought I was going to be a nurse—it was never part of my plan. But, when I was a senior in high school, my baby brother was born stillborn, and that life-altering experience pushed me into healthcare. Our labor and delivery nurses inspired me during that terrifying and vulnerable time. I wanted to be the one to care for patients, to be the person that made others feel seen and supported. So, I applied to nursing school.

📓My College Experience & Discovering NICU
I got into Elmira College in Elmira, New York—my first choice—and pursued a bachelor’s in nursing. Initially, I wanted to specialize in labor and delivery, but fate had other plans. During my very first labor and delivery clinical in junior year, my patient had a stillborn baby which hit so close to home. I felt helpless, like all I could do was comfort the family, which wasn’t enough for me. I realized I needed to be the nurse who was hands-on with the baby, giving them the best chance at life. That’s when I shifted my focus to the NICU, a specialty I knew little about before nursing school. But after just one clinical day in our local Level III NICU, I was hooked.

🎓Graduation & Facing Roadblocks
I graduated with my bachelor’s degree and went straight to take the NCLEX. I passed on the first try with 75 questions, but I was so convinced I’d failed that I threw up in the bathroom afterward! Unfortunately, my local hospital didn’t hire new graduate nurses into the NICU. That meant I had to start elsewhere to gain experience. I applied for the adult ICU, where I’d done my capstone, but I ended up getting hired for the telemetry MedSurg floor.

🩺Surviving MedSurg
I signed a two-year contract on the MedSurg floor, and while I learned a lot about time management and prioritization, it was not where my heart was. To be honest, I wouldn’t recommend MedSurg if you don’t want to do it—those two years almost ruined nursing for me. The NICU population is so different from adults that I had to unlearn most of what I learned in MedSurg to master NICU skills. I firmly believe that nurses do not need MedSurg experience before transitioning to a specialty like NICU.

👣Finally, my NICU Nurse Era
After my two-year stint on MedSurg, I applied to a Level IV NICU, but not the one I originally had in mind. I met my husband Matt on eHarmony, and he lived two hours away, so I applied to the regional NICU in his area. I got the job and have been working there for nine years now, serving as both an assistant nurse manager and a neonatal intensive care transport nurse, which is undoubtably my favorite job I've ever had.

📋Continuing Education
In 2019, I decided to go back to school for my master’s in nursing education. Education has always been a passion of mine. I’m the nurse who jumps at every continuing education opportunity, so it was a no-brainer. My hospital’s university made it free for employees, so I enrolled and graduated in May 2022.

My capstone project focused on whether journaling and mental health education for new nurses could lower the attrition rate. In May 2022, instead of walking across the stage at graduation, I presented my research as a poster at the Academy of Neonatal Nursing Conference in Orlando, Florida. It was such an incredible experience!

For anyone considering going back for their master’s: do it if you have a passion for learning and growth. It’s a huge commitment, so make sure it’s something you genuinely want to pursue. For me, it was worth every late-night study session.

🩷NICUity and Empowering Nurses
In addition to my role in the NICU, I’ve dedicated myself to helping new nurses, particularly those transitioning into NICU, which is where my passion for education truly shines. NICU is such a different population from anything else taught in nursing school, and most nurses arrive unprepared. That’s why my colleague Tori and I launched NICUity, a platform aimed at boosting confidence and providing education for NICU nurses. It’s something we both care deeply about—filling in those gaps to ensure nurses feel ready to care for these fragile little lives.

✔️Certifications & Where I'm at Now
As if I didn’t have enough going on during my master’s program, I decided to pursue my neonatal intensive care certification from the NCC in 2020. It took three attempts due to pandemic-related cancellations, but I finally took it in July 2020 and passed! It felt harder than the NCLEX, but the score report showed I did well in all categories. If that’s not a lesson in believing in yourself, I don’t know what is.

Most recently, on June 6, 2024, I sat for my neonatal pediatric transport certification, which, in contrast, was probably the easiest exam I’ve ever taken. It was the perfect validation that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

CONNECT WITH TIA

Instagram: @thatnursetia

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