Jennifer Nelson 2026, RN

When I came in to be induced with my first child at 41 weeks, I was very emotional and stressed, as any first-time mom might be. I had been experiencing complications toward the end of my pregnancy, which only heightened my anxiety and emotions.

That morning, Jennifer Nelson was my nurse. One of the very first things we discussed after meeting was the different positions we might need to use if an emergency arose involving either me or my baby. Jen clearly explained what might be required and reassured me that she did not anticipate needing any of those interventions, but wanted me to be prepared just in case.

Later that day, the team was having difficulty monitoring my contractions externally, so they decided to place an internal monitor. However, when my water was broken, they suddenly lost my son's fetal heart rate.

When that happened, Jen immediately communicated that I needed to get into the rescue position we had discussed earlier. Because she had prepared me so thoroughly, I was able to respond quickly without hesitation. They briefly found my son's heart rate again before losing it a second time.

At that point, Jen became an incredible advocate. She recognized that something was wrong, voiced her concerns, and the team quickly made the decision to call a Code White. The entire team responded with incredible skill, getting me to the operating room and delivering my son quickly before successfully resuscitating him.

While I recovered, my son remained in the nursery. Jen and Izzy, whom she was precepting, took wonderful care of me. Despite knowing how worried I was about my son, they remained attentive, compassionate, and focused on keeping me as comfortable as possible.

When the decision was made to transfer my son to the NICU at Boston Children's Hospital, Jen continued to check on me, ensuring I was okay both physically and emotionally. Her attentiveness and compassion never wavered, even during such an overwhelming and frightening experience.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have had Jen in my corner that day—not only as my nurse, but as my advocate. Her forward thinking in preparing me for a potential emergency, her calm communication during a crisis, and her willingness to speak up when something wasn't right made all the difference. I truly believe her actions were a major factor in the positive outcome for both my son and me.

I have two sisters who also work at Milford Hospital, and since that day, I've had the opportunity to return with my now healthy little boy, who recently celebrated his first birthday, to visit Jen. It has been so special to introduce her to the little boy she helped save.

I will always be grateful to Jennifer Nelson for the extraordinary care, advocacy, and compassion she showed my family. She is truly deserving of the DAISY Award.