Career Profiles
"Being a pediatric-neonatal critical care transport nurse is more than just a job — it’s a calling. It’s demanding, exhilarating and deeply fulfilling. Every day brings new challenges and new opportunities to make a difference, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything."
Katie Tambke, R.N., MU Health Care
I’ve always been fascinated by the human body. In high school, I took an anatomy and physiology class that completely captivated me. I loved learning how the body functioned, how everything worked together and how intricate yet resilient we are. As a child, I was always a fixer — I wanted to help people feel better. My anatomy teacher saw my passion and encouraged me to explore career options in health care. After many discussions and a lot of thought, I realized that nursing was the right path for me.
Today, I am a pediatric-neonatal critical care transport nurse, a role that is both exhilarating and deeply rewarding. I work as part of a three-person crew, alongside a respiratory therapist and an EMT. Together, we travel to hospitals across Missouri, transporting critically ill infants and children to higher levels of care. Essentially, we operate as a mobile intensive care unit, responding via ambulance or helicopter.
My day begins with equipment checks, ensuring that we have everything ready and packed for any call that may come in. When we’re not on transport duty, we serve as STAT nurses, assisting in the neonatal ICU, pediatric ICU and pediatric units. Once a call comes in, we receive a report on the patient, load our chosen mode of transport and head out. While we have a medical control physician to provide orders, we rely heavily on our critical thinking skills and training to stabilize patients before transport.
One of my absolute favorite aspects of my job is flying in the helicopter. There’s something surreal about soaring through the skies, knowing that we’re on our way to help a child in need. But beyond the excitement, I thrive on the adrenaline rush that comes with my role. The initial report we receive about a patient doesn’t always match what we find upon arrival. We have to quickly assess, adapt, and use our knowledge and experience to make life-saving decisions.
I also love the hands-on skills I’ve developed — starting IVs, performing intubations and stabilizing critical patients. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a patient turn a corner and knowing that we played a crucial role in their care.
Transitioning into transport nursing was not without its struggles. Before joining the team, I worked as a neonatal ICU nurse for two years, meaning I had little to no pediatric experience. It felt like drinking from a fire hose — there was an overwhelming amount of information coming at me every shift. I often felt incompetent, unsure of myself and not nearly as skilled as I wanted to be. IV starts and intubations were not my strong suit, and that was frustrating.
To overcome these challenges, I had to be patient with myself while also putting in the effort to improve. Every shift, I studied our protocols and researched disease processes that I wasn’t familiar with. I asked my co-workers endless questions and walked through different scenarios with them. Over time, my confidence grew, and my skills improved. Even now, I continue to learn something new every shift, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to keep growing in my career.
If you’re considering a career in health care, my biggest piece of advice is to shadow different roles. Health care is such a broad field with so many opportunities — you just need to find the right fit for you! Experiencing different areas firsthand can help you determine what truly excites you.
We often get confused with EMS. In reality, we don’t respond to 911 calls or go to accident scenes. Our job is strictly hospital-to-hospital transfers, ensuring that critically ill patients receive the specialized care they need. However, we are trauma and critical care trained, which allows us to provide advanced care for these patients, whether they are at an outside hospital or at the university.
Looking ahead, I hope to see an increase in educational outreach for smaller, outside hospitals. These facilities are the first to receive patients, and the decisions they make can significantly impact outcomes. While they may lack certain equipment or resources, having established protocols and access to training could make a huge difference in stabilizing patients until our team arrives. By working together, we can ensure that every child has the best possible chance at recovery, no matter where they are initially treated.
