Naomi Perreault
December 2020
Naomi
Perreault
,
BSN, RN
Birthing Pavilion
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
I was consistently comforted by Naomi's compassion. I may have been a small part of Naomi's day, but she was always a huge part of mine.
I was transferred by ambulance to the DHMC Birthing Pavilion with preterm premature rupture of membranes at 29 weeks gestation. Naomi was the first person I met in the Birthing Pavilion. I was immediately impressed by her calm, compassionate manner. It was a scary time, but I was a little less scared knowing Naomi was taking care of me.
Naomi knew I was anxious about what would happen not only to me but also for what all of this meant for my baby girl. She went out of her way to explain everything that was going on with just the right amount of medical detail. I also appreciated how she involved my husband as a participant instead of a spectator. Naomi even made an effort to schedule my important consults for times when he could be present.
Throughout my 19-day stay on the Birthing Pavilion, I was consistently comforted by Naomi's compassion. One instance that comes to mind is when I found out that having a C-section was all but inevitable (this was not part of my birth plan). Naomi took the time to sit down and listen to my questions and anxieties. She walked me through how the procedure would go from start to finish and explained what the experience might be like. When I told her I was nervous about how I'd feel during the procedure, Naomi described what options I would have for managing pain and anxiety. I was still unhappy that I needed to have a C-section, but that conversation with Naomi helped me stop being afraid of it.
Naomi's thoughtfulness went beyond my medical care. I was hospitalized days before I was supposed to close on the sale of my house. Naomi helped arrange notary services to be brought to my bedside on short notice. She also helped me get my disability paperwork processed, and even took it upon herself to follow up when the first round of paperwork got lost.
I may have been a small part of Naomi's day, but she was always a huge part of mine. No matter how busy she was, Naomi made me feel like I was her only patient and would spend as long with me as I needed. At the end of every shift, Naomi would always come in to say goodbye. I would always ask her if she were coming back tomorrow; I hoped the answer would be yes.
Naomi knew I was anxious about what would happen not only to me but also for what all of this meant for my baby girl. She went out of her way to explain everything that was going on with just the right amount of medical detail. I also appreciated how she involved my husband as a participant instead of a spectator. Naomi even made an effort to schedule my important consults for times when he could be present.
Throughout my 19-day stay on the Birthing Pavilion, I was consistently comforted by Naomi's compassion. One instance that comes to mind is when I found out that having a C-section was all but inevitable (this was not part of my birth plan). Naomi took the time to sit down and listen to my questions and anxieties. She walked me through how the procedure would go from start to finish and explained what the experience might be like. When I told her I was nervous about how I'd feel during the procedure, Naomi described what options I would have for managing pain and anxiety. I was still unhappy that I needed to have a C-section, but that conversation with Naomi helped me stop being afraid of it.
Naomi's thoughtfulness went beyond my medical care. I was hospitalized days before I was supposed to close on the sale of my house. Naomi helped arrange notary services to be brought to my bedside on short notice. She also helped me get my disability paperwork processed, and even took it upon herself to follow up when the first round of paperwork got lost.
I may have been a small part of Naomi's day, but she was always a huge part of mine. No matter how busy she was, Naomi made me feel like I was her only patient and would spend as long with me as I needed. At the end of every shift, Naomi would always come in to say goodbye. I would always ask her if she were coming back tomorrow; I hoped the answer would be yes.