Hope Hackler, RN

My story is to honor Hope Hackler. When I was around 23 weeks pregnant, I arrived at the emergency room due to some unexplained bleeding. I was quickly rushed back for an emergency cesarean section. I’m not sure if Hope was one of the nurses outside of my emergency room who wheeled me back (I was in shock), but I am certain she was the one by my side as soon as I entered the operating room and stayed with me for the next several days.

I was in and out of the procedure and not aware of what was happening for long periods of time. I can tell you to this day what Hope’s badge looked like and how soft her hands were because she stayed with me through it all. Her presence was what grounded me. Hope gave me little updates throughout, spoke kindly to me, tried to keep me awake, and let me know when my daughter's dad arrived.

Sadly, my daughter passed shortly after she was born, and we did not get to meet her. Taking care of someone after they lose a newborn is a very delicate situation. Your knowledge of the field and ability to look out for complications is important, but I believe how you show up with that person makes all the difference in their healing.

I am certain Hope spent more time with my daughter than anyone, myself included. By the time I made it to a room, Hope had put together a little box with her length, birth card, footprints cut into a little heart, and a bracelet that she made with my daughter's name. She told me how she sat and talked with her for me. The hospital was wonderful, and volunteers made bonnets and dresses for angel babies. We received all of these things as well.

Hope offered to come sit with me on her day off, took extra hand and foot prints for us (I’m talking 30+), made sure anyone who came to visit me was comfortable, offered resources for grief that were included with the hospital and people she knew outside of the hospital, looked up funeral homes, and did all of the standard things required of being my nurse.

At the time of discharge, Hope was the nurse to send us home. She wrote me a beautiful card and offered me any support I might need. Leaving the hospital without your child is a grief I have no words for that Hope made a little more manageable. We left the hospital knowing that Hope would sit with our daughter as long as needed until the funeral home arrived. I knew what remained of her on earth was in the safest hands possible.

All the staff was wonderful, and I don’t want that to be missed. But Hope went above and beyond what I ever anticipated. While my trip to the hospital was challenging, under the circumstances, I am blessed to say I had a supported birth experience due to Hope, Dr. Brandt, and the care of the other nurses.

Hope is the type of nurse I wish everyone could experience. She is warm, genuine, patient, knowledgeable, considerate, gentle, and a bright presence in dark times. It’s been a little over a year, and Hope's kindness and thoughtfulness to me as a patient is something I think of weekly.

I know this isn’t the positive-outcome kind of story people might expect with a DAISY Award, but it’s the reality of the hard, sad moments that come with the line of work she dedicates herself to. I hope that she can be recognized in honor of her service to me, my family, and the depth of care she provided to our daughter while she was at Fort Sanders.

It has taken me a while to find the words, but I hope I’ve captured even a small part of the kindness and care I felt while Hope was watching over us. I am forever grateful to her.