November 2012
Denise
Sealy
,
RN
L&D
MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center
Whiteford
,
MD
United States
Denise Sealy, RN was nominated for the DAISY Award by Reverend Cherie Smith.
Denise Sealy, RN, called Reverend Cherie Smith for a fetal death. Denise suggested to Reverend Cherie that she come to the pod before attending to the family, which she did. Denise and Dr. T explained to the Reverend that the baby was horribly deformed and died in utero. It had just been delivered and was the worst they'd ever seen. Denise and Dr. T themselves were struggling with the sadness of it all. They were struggling with whether or not they wanted the family to see the baby (21 weeks). They all agreed that they would have to let the family choose. Dr. T and Reverend Cherie listened as Denise practiced carefully how to describe the baby to the family; the three of them struggled to find the right words. It was beautiful to witness the care, professionalism, and compassion that lived in Denise for this family.
Reverend Cherie went into a side room, where the baby was, as she needed to prepare herself. Reverend Cherie described the baby as "bright red, gelatinous, and having very little shape". Reverend Cherie stood with Denise as she did her best to make footprints of the newborn. Denise used every nursing trick she knew to hold the baby together. Denise managed to get the baby into a tiny diaper, wrapped in a pad and a tiny blanket taped together, and a small cap on her head. It took a long time, but Denise finally had something the family could hold.
Denise, along with the doctor and the Reverend, spoke with the family to prepare them as best they could. The mother was only 17 and the father was also young; but both of their families were present and supportive. Denise lifted their baby out of a little tub and the daddy reached for his baby. They saw her red face, and they were sad; but they saw their daughter, not something horrible. The family members all cried and so did the staff. Denise gracefully slipped out of the room to give the family privacy.
Mom named the baby Heaven Nicole. Everyone got to hold her. Reverend Cherie held her, prayed over her, and blessed her. Grandma called her beautiful, spoke of her tiny eyes and mouth, and kissed her. Mom eventually asked if she could take photos with her, and they took many; each family member getting a turn with Heaven Nicole. In a little while, Reverend Cherie carried the baby back to her little tub and let Denise know they were all done.
The young father, who was so sad and so brave, took the Reverend gently by the shoulders. He looked at her in the eyes and said, "Thank you so much for praying for my daughter". Reverend Cherie could hardly breathe for the sacredness and awfulness of it all. There was more hugging and crying all around.
Reverend Cherie found Denise and told her the results of her hard work preparing the baby. She told Denise how everyone got to hold her, about grandma calling her beautiful and kissing her, and mommy taking photos. None of this would have been possible without Denise's commitment, above and beyond, to make the baby presentable to the family. Reverend Cherie told Denise that the family had already begun healing because of her work.
The Reverend went on to nominate Denise for the first DAISY Award at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center stating, "I can do the kind of work I do day after day because I find God in these places of pain. I saw God today in Denise Sealy... she was beautiful to behold."
Denise Sealy, RN, called Reverend Cherie Smith for a fetal death. Denise suggested to Reverend Cherie that she come to the pod before attending to the family, which she did. Denise and Dr. T explained to the Reverend that the baby was horribly deformed and died in utero. It had just been delivered and was the worst they'd ever seen. Denise and Dr. T themselves were struggling with the sadness of it all. They were struggling with whether or not they wanted the family to see the baby (21 weeks). They all agreed that they would have to let the family choose. Dr. T and Reverend Cherie listened as Denise practiced carefully how to describe the baby to the family; the three of them struggled to find the right words. It was beautiful to witness the care, professionalism, and compassion that lived in Denise for this family.
Reverend Cherie went into a side room, where the baby was, as she needed to prepare herself. Reverend Cherie described the baby as "bright red, gelatinous, and having very little shape". Reverend Cherie stood with Denise as she did her best to make footprints of the newborn. Denise used every nursing trick she knew to hold the baby together. Denise managed to get the baby into a tiny diaper, wrapped in a pad and a tiny blanket taped together, and a small cap on her head. It took a long time, but Denise finally had something the family could hold.
Denise, along with the doctor and the Reverend, spoke with the family to prepare them as best they could. The mother was only 17 and the father was also young; but both of their families were present and supportive. Denise lifted their baby out of a little tub and the daddy reached for his baby. They saw her red face, and they were sad; but they saw their daughter, not something horrible. The family members all cried and so did the staff. Denise gracefully slipped out of the room to give the family privacy.
Mom named the baby Heaven Nicole. Everyone got to hold her. Reverend Cherie held her, prayed over her, and blessed her. Grandma called her beautiful, spoke of her tiny eyes and mouth, and kissed her. Mom eventually asked if she could take photos with her, and they took many; each family member getting a turn with Heaven Nicole. In a little while, Reverend Cherie carried the baby back to her little tub and let Denise know they were all done.
The young father, who was so sad and so brave, took the Reverend gently by the shoulders. He looked at her in the eyes and said, "Thank you so much for praying for my daughter". Reverend Cherie could hardly breathe for the sacredness and awfulness of it all. There was more hugging and crying all around.
Reverend Cherie found Denise and told her the results of her hard work preparing the baby. She told Denise how everyone got to hold her, about grandma calling her beautiful and kissing her, and mommy taking photos. None of this would have been possible without Denise's commitment, above and beyond, to make the baby presentable to the family. Reverend Cherie told Denise that the family had already begun healing because of her work.
The Reverend went on to nominate Denise for the first DAISY Award at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center stating, "I can do the kind of work I do day after day because I find God in these places of pain. I saw God today in Denise Sealy... she was beautiful to behold."