Where babies are born and bonds are built: Kara Ferrera’s story

When Kara Ferrera was just five years old, she met one of her mother’s friends who helped deliver babies. That moment sparked a lifelong fascination. “I thought she had the coolest job ever,” Kara recalls. Years later, the Air Force awarded her a nursing scholarship, setting her on a path that would lead to nearly two decades of service at AdventHealth Avista.

Now the Assistant Nurse Manager at the New Life Birth Center, Kara brings passion, empathy, and a deep sense of purpose to her role. “I love being a part of babies being born,” she says. “The diversity of this job is incredible—one moment I’m in the OR, the next in triage, and then transitioning a baby. I especially love working as a charge nurse and helping my coworkers problem-solve.”

Her connection to Avista is personal, too. Kara welcomed both of her children—Ty in 2007 and Claire in 2011—at the very unit she now helps lead.

One patient story stands out vividly in her memory. In 2018, a woman began hemorrhaging after an uneventful c-section. Kara and her team sprang into action. “She later recognized me for saving her life, and I received the Angel Award,” Kara shares. “It really was a group effort, and every September 12th I remember how we helped that family.”

Kara’s love for her team runs deep. “I’ve been at Avista for almost 19 years, and I love my coworkers. I trust them. I hope they know how deeply I appreciate them. They’ve supported me through some really hard life stuff, and I want them to know they can come to me too.”

She describes her colleagues as “some of the smartest, most compassionate, creative, critical thinkers out there,” and delights in watching them interact with patients and families. Compassionate care is central to Kara’s philosophy. “Compassion is empathy plus action,” she explains. “I try to connect with patients right away—even if it’s silly. ‘Hi, I’m Kara and I like to start IVs.’ I sit down and talk with them while gathering their history. Lately, I’ve been enjoying leader rounding—listening to their stories and making positive changes based on their feedback.”

The past two years have brought significant changes to the unit, and Kara acknowledges the challenge of change fatigue. But she remains optimistic. “I’ve been a bit of an AdventHealth cheerleader,” she laughs. “I love the new IVs! I think our new director values me as a person, and that makes me want to be that kind of leader too.”

Looking ahead, Kara’s vision for the New Life Birth Center is clear: “I want us to continue to be the place where women want to have their babies. The name Avista means a lot to this community, and most of that is associated with childbirth. I hope we can grow closer together as a unit and grow our reputation as the best place to have a baby.”