Erika V Nedinsky, BSN, RN

At Erika Nedinsky Birthing Center, 'We can’t find her heartbeat!' is the worst string of five words any expecting parent can hear. My husband and I have been trying to conceive for seven years. We had several failed rounds of IUI completed before our first and successful attempt. Everything about the pregnancy was perfect until week 35. The Doctors induced labor, and I gave birth to my stillborn daughter. Everyone on the unit we encountered was great, but one nurse stood out. Erika was my day nurse for several days. When they took my daughter away for the last time, she secured her clothes and blanket to make sure everything made it into the keepsake box. She put together my baby's keepsakes and took her hand and footprints. On my expected discharge date, she brought me flowers. Shortly after my discharge, we held the funeral. Erika came to our brief ceremony to say goodbye to our baby. Even outside of the hospital, tears swelled my eyes; she was comforting in her support. As I physically recovered from childbirth, I sought some sort of community within the pile of resources given to us by the birthing center. In mid-October, one group, Hope after Loss, a local nonprofit, held a 5k run and walk. The event, an annual fundraiser, but also 6 weeks out from the birth, a perfect metric for my recovery. Seeing Erika with a few other women at the midpoint of the 5k brought me to tears at the event. We exchanged hugs and continued our walk. In seconds, all my plans, dreams, and future crumbled to dust with the string of five words. I lost the little girl I dreamed of having my entire life. In all my devastation, having a nurse take the time and empathy within the hospital was great, but then she went above and beyond to show compassion, community, and support for not only myself and my family but also for the other women who have or will walk my path. 
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I would like to nominate Nurse Erika for the DAISY Award because she didn’t just care for me physically; she cared for my heart during one of the most vulnerable times of my life. After my C-section, I was struggling not only with pain and recovery, but also with postpartum depression and anxiety. Those first days can feel overwhelming, isolating, and heavy, especially when your emotions don't match what you expected them to be. Erika saw that. She noticed when I was quiet. She noticed when I was anxious. She noticed when I needed reassurance before I even had the words to ask. She went above and beyond in ways that mattered deeply. She took time to sit with me. She spoke gently and without judgment. She normalized what I was feeling and reminded me that I was not failing; I was healing. She made my hospital room feel less clinical and more like a safe space. In moments when I felt scared or unsure, she made me feel grounded. What stood out most was that she treated me like a whole person, not just a patient. She cared about my mental health as much as my physical recovery. She checked in on me emotionally, encouraged me, and made me feel seen during a time when it would have been easy to feel invisible. Because of Erika, I felt supported instead of alone. I felt understood instead of ashamed. I felt stronger when I doubted myself. Nurses like Erika are the reason families leave the hospital not just cared for, but truly touched. I will always remember the compassion, patience, and genuine kindness she showed me during such an important chapter of my life. She is beyond deserving of the DAISY Award.