Gabrielle Villegas, a graduate of the BSN Class of 2012, wasted no time immersing herself in nursing practice. As a newly registered nurse, she immediately began working in the OB-Peds unit of Asian Hospital & Medical Center. After gaining valuable experience locally, Gabby ventured into exploring a broader scope of practice and was fortunate to land in an adult cardiac-telemetry unit at one of MedStar Health’s leading hospitals in Maryland, USA. Reflecting on the experience, she viewed it as an excellent training ground for young nurses. After a few years, she made the career decision to focus in a more specialized care area, which didn’t come easy due to several options she had to consider. However, now, she has found her niche as a neonatal ICU nurse and is working toward professional certification. She describes it as ‘a whole new paradigm of care’ quite different and more complex. She had to relearn many things, such as always expecting the unexpected, keenly observing for any minor fluctuations that could be signs of distress or complications, and swiftly intervening to stabilize the infant’s condition. The real reward, she says, is witnessing how she and her team work to save the lives of these vulnerable ‘preemies’: born premature, with low birth weights, or facing unique complex medical conditions, while actively providing support to their families. “I have seen the profound dedication, expertise, and compassion of neonatal ICU nurses working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team, and that simply can be satisfying and rewarding.” -CAV