This night will forever be a date that is etched into not only my heart but in my mind. It was a typical crazy busy Sunday! Night on L&D as we walked into what looked like 50 labor Strips on the monitor. I took a deep breath as I swiped my badge getting ready for the chaos the night would surely be. But I felt calm as I glanced at the assignment sheet seeing Katie written next to the charge role. Katie is the ultimate charge nurse. She is kind, always willing to jump in and help, and always seems to have all the answers. My motto is always “When in doubt, ask Katie.” She is skilled in the NICU setting and a true leader.

Starting out shift that night we have no clue how valuable of a leader Katie would be. I was the stork nurse for the night which means I back-up deliveries as the baby nurse. From 6:30p to 9:30p we had, I believe 5 deliveries, so the physician and I were basically running from room to room. We have just had a delivery where the baby needed take to the NICU for respiratory support so Katie and the neonatologist took the baby in for admission while I ran to the next room for the fifth delivery. As soon as the baby came out I took one glance at her and pulled our emergency cord. Her small lifeless body lay on the warmer before me as our hands raced against time to give this body life. I immediately see Katie running towards me and I instantly think to myself "okay, Katie is here, we got this”.

I will spare the details of what pure sadness and pain we all endured over the next 9 hours of that shift. Katie led that full-code resuscitation with such strength, skill, and grace that I along with every other RN in that room will forever be grateful for her. For most of us that was our first…our first newborn loss. We all would have given anything for that beautiful baby girl to survive, and although her life was short, she will never be forgotten. It feels like each of us involved that night is part of an “elite” club that no one ever wants to join. You see, nursing is a team sport. Yes, we all have our own assignments to care for, but when unexpected emergencies happen it's your “team” that shows up and works together to achieve the best possible outcome for our patient.

Katie always shows up. She shows up for her 5 children as an amazing mom, her friends in need, her patients as their devoted advocate, and her fellow RNs in need of anything and everything. No one deserves a DAISY Award more than Katie. She has been “Showing up” for me on labor and deliveries for 12 years now, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. It has been a true honor to work alongside such an exceptional nurse and human being. Thank you, Katie, for who you are, and all that you do!