Claire Gulledge, RN, BSN

I would like to recognize Nurse Claire for the experience she blessed my family with during the birth of our son at St. Tammany Hospital.

We checked into the hospital in the afternoon for a scheduled induction. This was my first birthing experience, and I was incredibly nervous. But when Claire came to greet us in the waiting room and walked us back to what would become the longest 36 hours of my life, I immediately knew God had blessed us with an incredible caretaker.

Claire was calm, collected, confident, and completely in control of the room in a way that instantly eased this first-time mom and dad’s anxieties. She took the time to explain every single detail of every process. No question ever felt too small to ask. She was patient, intentional, and made sure we understood everything that was happening every step of the way.

We only had Claire for a few hours that Wednesday before her shift ended, but my husband and I prayed that God would bless us with her again the next day. After a very long night of laboring, Claire walked back through the door Thursday morning, and my husband and I immediately started crying seeing her glowing face. We knew we were in good hands again.

Throughout that day, Claire helped me through every wave of pain. She gave the warmest embraces, advocated for me during moments when I needed support most, and controlled the room in a way that always protected my peace and my needs. At one point, I trusted her with my entire life and my son’s life. That is how safe she made me feel.

As Thursday came to an end and Claire’s shift was nearing completion, my husband and I became emotional knowing we might not get to be with her again. At that point we were exhausted, sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, and honestly scared to lose the support system we had found in Claire.

The night nurses were absolutely incredible, and early Friday morning Nurse Tori shared something that deeply touched us. Claire had called before her shift started to check on us and requested to be placed back in our room. The moment we heard that, our hearts exploded. I completely broke down crying because we knew we were entering some very crucial hours where difficult decisions were about to be made.

At 6:00 a.m. on Friday, after 36 hours of labor, my body and my baby’s body had simply had enough, and we were being taken in for an emergency C-section. The night nurses did a wonderful job preparing me, but the moment Claire walked through the door again, I knew God was with us, and everything was going to be okay.

Having Claire in the operating room alongside Dr. C and my husband brought me a level of peace I cannot even describe. During one of the scariest moments of my life, Claire remained calm, strong, attentive, and completely in control. I felt protected. I felt heard. I felt cared for. I will forever be grateful for the way she guided me through that experience.

After surgery, after 36 hours of labor, no sleep, no food, unimaginable pain, and so much medication, I was completely out of it and honestly in shock. Claire still never left my side.

We were later moved into our room in the Mommy and Baby wing, which already felt like such a blessing. Then on Mother’s Day, our room door opened, and Claire walked in to meet our sweet son. Seeing her walk through that door meant everything to us. We were so touched that she took time out of her day to come meet the little boy she worked so hard to help bring safely into this world.

Claire embodies everything St. Tammany Hospital stands for. She reflects compassion, teamwork, trust, innovation, excellence, and genuine patient-centered care in every possible way. She not only meets those standards, but she also exceeds them.

St. Tammany Hospital is incredible, but Claire is the reason my experience became something so deeply special and unforgettable. Because of her, I will forever recommend this hospital to every mother and family I know.

Claire is going to be a leader in healthcare and a truly revolutionary nurse throughout her career. My family will never forget the impact she had on one of the most important moments of our lives.

Thank you, Claire, for loving our family so well.