February 2022
Cherisse
Smith
,
ASN
OB
Parkview Health
Auburn
,
IN
United States
I could tell immediately that she cared about my birth plan and was willing to advocate for me as a patient.
While our experience was short-lived, Cherisse made it wonderful. As a woman pregnant with my fourth child, I found myself worried throughout my pregnancy about having a different physician than I had previously and about how my birth story would fit into my hopes. Within a few minutes of reaching the OB in labor and sitting in triage with her, I already knew she was going to be an excellent nurse for me and put me at incredible ease. I could tell immediately that she cared about my birth plan and was willing to advocate for me as a patient. I wasn't just another pregnant mom on the delivery floor. I was important to her as a patient. Throughout my labor, she stayed close, making sure I had everything I needed and offering help when she could. She advocated for me when I was unable to do so and when I felt defeated and fear when pushing, she was quick to offer a solution that worked instantly. She is a nurse who knows what she is doing and cares about her patients. After the delivery, there were complications that required my child to be taken to PRMC very shortly after her birth. Through the entire process, she stayed by my side for support and tried as much as she could to distract me from the fact that I couldn't hold my baby and the fact that I was about to be stuck at one hospital and my baby being taken to another. She pushed for me to be released early under unusual circumstances so that I could be with my baby while ensuring I was taking care of myself as well. In just over a 12-hour time span, this woman made an incredible, positive impact on my life during one of the scariest. She is the true definition of a nurse, and I can't thank her enough.