Some say that nurses make the worst patients and, yet sometimes they still need to be cared for, too. I had Brittany Andrews as my nurse in Mother-baby two nights during my postpartum stay and then another night after being readmitted for postpartum preeclampsia. My husband and I were very impressed with her ability to quickly develop a strong, trusting nurse-patient relationship. We just felt at ease in her presence as if we could breathe a little easier.
The first night she assessed that I was having trouble with breastfeeding. She used critical thinking skills and thought maybe my baby wasn't latching because he wasn't getting enough milk. She brought in a supplemental nursing system to give my baby formula while breastfeeding. It worked like a charm and my little babe was so much happier and I was less stressed. The second night my milk came in and I wanted to try to use my pump. It's a new style pump that was unfamiliar to the nurses and lactation consultant. Brittany was eager to learn how to use this pump. When the pump didn't seem to be working well she set me up with a hospital pump which also failed to get much milk. She reassured me let down sometimes can take time.
Brittany is a team player! When I left a conversation confused after talking to a lactation consultant, she told me she would clarify with her, so she made sure she was teaching everything correctly. I appreciated so much that she advocated for me! Lastly, during that first stay, I requested my baby's footprints be put in his baby book. She told me she knew the perfect nurse for the job to get the best little footprint; she brought her fellow nurse in and they got the cutest, most perfect little footprints of my little guy!
After being readmitted, Brittany was assigned to be my nurse again. It was a very scary readmission and my husband and I were exhausted. My husband had already spent 4 nights on a pull-out hospital bed, and he was so sleep-deprived from helping me, worrying about me, and being my only allowed visitor due to COVID. When Brittany came in that night, we expressed how much my husband needed sleep. She quickly offered for him to sleep and encouraged me to press my call light for help anytime I would normally ask for his help. He slept the most he'd slept since having our baby a week prior.
When I came back to the hospital due to pre-eclampsia, I was unable to care for my baby. The doctor instructed that the baby could come to the hospital, but the nurses would have to care for my baby because of my fragile state; we opted for him to stay home with family instead. Brittany realized how hard this was for a new and first-time mom. She knelt by my bed while I gushed about my sweet little boy and shared picture after picture just missing him. I softly cried hormonal tears and she treated my emotions with such kindness. She dealt with taking care of a fellow nurse with absolute grace. I am not exaggerating when I say I cannot say enough good about her! She made me want to be a better nurse. Brittany made a dreamish nightmare of a time more bearable. She made me feel like I could make a good mom when I got home. She not only exemplifies all of the MMH core values, but she also effortlessly falls into the classification of a DAISY Nurse.