I can’t say enough about how amazing Kendyl’s care was. My husband and I actually joked about how CHOP has the best nurses in the country but somehow Kendyl manages to put them all to shame. From the minute that I exited the delivery room, she made my wants and needs a priority. She knew how anxious I was to get down and see my baby so she got me down there as quickly and safely as possible. She never made me feel rushed and was always willing to go above and beyond if I was stuck down there and needed something. She was light-hearted and funny yet professional; her fantastic personality helped keep the energy light in an overall stressful situation.

The instance that stands out the most though is when I felt that there was a lapse in communication between myself and the team that was caring for my baby. Kendyl sat and listened to every word that I said, she let me vent and stepped up to help open up a line of communication where it had otherwise failed. She got us a meeting with the people that we needed to talk to almost immediately. There are not enough words of praise to possibly do her justice… she is truly an invaluable asset to the SDU.

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Being a patient in the Special Delivery Unit at CHOP came with a mix of emotions, to say the least. After months of following along with the Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment team to evaluate a cardiac mass in my daughter, I was excited to be meeting my child, but also scared and overwhelmed at the prospect of labor and concerned for my daughter's well-being. On the night I went into labor, I was assigned Kendyl as my nurse. I have been a practicing physician for five years now and in my time, Kendyl is one of the best nurses I have encountered to date.

All the nurses in the SDU were fantastic, but repeatedly, I found my husband and myself saying “I wish Kendyl was still our nurse!” Kendyl went above and beyond in multiple ways. She was attentive, empathetic, and kind. She explained everything that was happening to us in a way that was easy to understand and prepared us for all the next steps in advance. She validated all the feelings I was having, pain, apprehension, fear, and many more. She offered many things to help my pain in labor and I felt much more prepared for the long day ahead with her help.

Two days later, even though she wasn’t my nurse, Kendyl took the time to stop in to check on me and the baby to see how we were doing. She was the only person to ask me how the experience was emotionally rather than physically, which was a small gesture but meant a lot, as labor can at times be somewhat traumatic. Overall, we are so thankful for the amazing care we received at CHOP and in the Special Delivery Unit, but especially thankful for Kendyl’s care the night I was in labor. She is a fantastic nurse and CHOP is lucky to have her.