Hidden Gems: Meet Amanda Williams of Amanda’s NICU Consulting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Williams.

Hi Amanda, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started my nursing career in 2009 as a newly graduated NICU nurse in New Mexico. After about two years, I moved to California and continued working in the NICU, and over time I naturally became really passionate about education and supporting other nurses. Around 2018, I stepped into a nurse educator role, and that same year I created an Instagram account that was honestly just intended for the nurses I worked with.

I wanted a simple way to share quick educational refreshers on high-risk, low-frequency situations and important NICU topics that bedside nurses may not see every day but still need to feel confident managing. What surprised me was that nurses outside of my hospital started finding the page, sharing it, and following along. Over time, it really grew into this larger community of NICU nurses from all over the country and even internationally.

As the audience grew, I realized there was a huge need for approachable, practical NICU education that explained difficult concepts in a way that felt less intimidating. I was fortunate to have a mentor who was a nurse entrepreneur and encouraged me to think bigger and turn this passion project into a business. That eventually led me to create online courses, including a certification review course for NICU nurses pursuing specialty certification.

For NICU nurses, certification is something really meaningful. It reflects not only knowledge and expertise, but also a commitment to providing the best possible care to critically ill babies and their families. Creating educational resources that help nurses build confidence, pass their exams, and feel stronger at the bedside has become one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

Since then, I’ve had opportunities to teach live courses, speak at conferences, collaborate with hospitals, and continue expanding educational content in different formats, from short social media videos all the way to comprehensive 20-plus-hour courses.

At the center of all of it, though, is really the same mission I started with: supporting NICU nurses. I remember exactly what it felt like to be a new nurse and feel overwhelmed by how much there was to learn. Even years later, the more experience you gain, the more you realize how much there still is to know. I wanted to create the kind of educational space and community that I would have wanted for myself: supportive, approachable, encouraging, and grounded in real bedside practice.

I also really hope to remind nurses how important they are. In the NICU, nurses are the people at the bedside 24 hours a day. They are the ones supporting families through some of the hardest and most vulnerable moments of their lives. They provide not only critical care, but also comfort, advocacy, education, and healing. Helping nurses feel more confident and more supported in that role is something I care deeply about.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I definitely wouldn’t say it’s been completely smooth, but I also think the challenges are very normal for someone building a business from scratch, especially coming from a healthcare background instead of a business background. As nurses, we’re trained to take care of patients, not necessarily how to build websites, create domains, manage taxes, understand business structures, or navigate all of the legal and regulatory pieces that come with running a company.

So a lot of it has truly been learning as I go. Things like obtaining my LLC, understanding contracts, figuring out systems, marketing, finances, and all of the behind-the-scenes work were things I had to teach myself over time. There were definitely moments where it felt overwhelming because you’re wearing so many hats at once.

At the same time, I think those challenges really helped me grow, both professionally and personally. They pushed me to become more confident in what I have to offer and more intentional about the impact I want to make for nurses. Every obstacle made me better at adapting, problem-solving, and continuing forward even when I didn’t feel fully prepared.

And honestly, nursing itself prepares you for that in many ways. Being a NICU nurse comes with its own challenges emotionally, mentally, and physically. You learn how to function in high-pressure situations, how to keep learning constantly, and how to show up for people even on hard days. Compared to some of the things we face in healthcare, the business challenges felt manageable, even if they were unfamiliar.

I think that’s also part of why I care so much about creating supportive educational spaces for nurses. Nursing is hard work. It requires so much compassion, responsibility, and emotional investment. I want nurses to feel supported and encouraged as they continue to grow in their careers, because none of us are expected to know everything right away.

I’m still very much learning and evolving as an entrepreneur, but I try to approach it the same way I approached nursing early on: one day at a time, staying curious, continuing to improve, and trusting that growth happens through experience.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Amanda’s NICU Consulting?
My business is Amanda’s NICU Consulting LLC, and it is a woman-owned, nurse-owned company focused on neonatal education, consulting, and professional support for NICU teams.

I specialize in supporting NICU nurses through education that is practical, approachable, and deeply grounded in bedside care. That includes everything from online certification review courses and continuing education to live speaking engagements, hospital education, and consulting services.

One thing that makes my perspective unique is that I bring together experience from multiple roles within neonatal care. I’ve worked as a bedside NICU nurse for many years, and I’m also a Clinical Nurse Specialist, which is an advanced practice nursing role focused on improving outcomes through collaboration with nurses, patients, families, and healthcare systems. That role really taught me how interconnected everything is, from education and evidence-based practice to communication, systems improvement, and patient safety.

I also provide consulting support to hospitals, organizations, and occasionally legal professionals who need a specialized neonatal nursing perspective or expert review.

At the heart of everything I do is the goal of helping nurses feel more confident, knowledgeable, and supported, because when we invest in nurses, it directly impacts the quality of care we provide to babies and families during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.

NICU care is incredibly specialized, and these babies are some of the smallest and most fragile patients in the hospital. I feel very honored to be able to take the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the years and use it to help support the nurses and teams caring for them every day.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can connect with me or work with me through my website, www.amandasnicuconsulting.com, where they can learn more about my courses, consulting services, speaking engagements, and educational offerings.

I also share a lot of free educational content and resources through social media under @amandasnicued. I’m active on platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, where I create educational videos and content for NICU nurses and healthcare professionals.

Hospitals and organizations can collaborate with me through consulting, speaking engagements, certification review education, conference presentations, or staff development opportunities. I also love collaborating with other healthcare professionals and organizations that are passionate about improving neonatal care and supporting nurses.

One of the biggest ways people can support me is simply by engaging with the content, sharing resources with other nurses, and continuing to prioritize education and growth within the NICU community. My goal has always been to make education more approachable and supportive, so every nurse who learns with me, shares a resource, or recommends the platform to a colleague helps expand that mission even further.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://amandasnicuconsulting.com/
• Instagram: @amandasnicued
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@amandasnicued
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/amandasnicued/

Image Credits
Kaysha Van Der Heyden
@brandingbykaysha