At a young age, Angie Crabtree knew she wanted to be a nurse. Her mom, Marcia, was a labor and delivery nurse at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission Birth Center in Kansas. Crabtree remembers visiting her mom at the hospital as a young girl, eating in the cafeteria and attending hospital-sponsored family events. What she didn’t know at the time was how closely their careers would mirror each other.
Crabtree and her sisters, Jamie Hoelting and Melissa Vincent, decided to study nursing. Crabtree and Hoelting worked as information associates at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission to pay for their nursing studies. After finishing, they became nurses in the same Birth Center where their mother worked during their childhood.
Crabtree has now been a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for more than 20 years and is a charge nurse in that unit. Hoelting worked in the Mother Baby Unit for 16 years before moving to the Gastrointestinal unit recently. Like their mother, both women also gave birth to their children at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission.
“I guess my mom made this place look pretty amazing,” said Crabtree. “She retired in July 2021 after 49 years as a nurse, but she always felt cared for at AdventHealth and I feel the same. The Birth Center and team members who worked there became a family for me from the very beginning. I feel like I grew up here. It’s home away from home for us, and I want to help others feel that way too.”
Crabtree admits that her inspiration to become a nurse came primarily from her mother. During her childhood, she recalls how she and her mom would see former patients in the grocery store. People would stop and tell her mom how amazing she was and thank her for helping them.
“I was always so proud of how hard she worked and the difference she made for others,” said Crabtree. “I wanted to be like her and make a positive impact on others. However, I wasn’t sure I was qualified to be a nurse. At first, I was scared of our tiny patients when working as an IA, but I am so grateful I challenged myself and found my calling just like my mom.”
Crabtree has never regretted her choice to be a NICU nurse. She has the privilege of being there when babies are born and helping them transition to life outside their mother’s womb. She also bonds with families who spend months in the NICU and watch parents take their babies home after overcoming many obstacles.
“Going to the NICU is scary,” said Crabtree. “No one decides to have a baby and plans on being in the NICU. I love being there to welcome parents and explain what we are doing to help their little one.”
Crabtree’s favorite part of her job is when families come back to visit years later.
“We get to see babies, toddlers and preschoolers growing and thriving,” said Crabtree. “That’s when you feel all the love. It’s an amazing feeling to know you had a hand in helping that child and their family.”
For those considering a career in nursing, Crabtree suggests taking the time to find your passion. If you are passionate about your work, it doesn’t feel like work.
“I am so grateful to have a career that I love,” said Crabtree. “Some days are stressful, but I get to help tiny humans thrive and teach families to care for their little miracles. It’s amazing work.”
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about a nursing career at AdventHealth in Kansas, visit JoinAdventHealthKC.com.
