When Mom was admitted, we were scared. She had been awake through the majority of the previous week in pain, and her blood pressure was through the roof. We didn't know what to expect. The first nurse that we had was exceptionally sweet and worked diligently to get Mom settled. It wasn't long until shift change occurred, and our nurse said that she was going to ask that we receive care from her favorite nurse on the upcoming shift. Shortly after, we met Madelyn Kennedy. Instantly, she set our minds at ease with her well-placed levity and quick wit.

She never missed an opportunity throughout the night to stop and explain the various medications, processes, and procedures to us. During her explanations, her face would light up. Her passion for her line of work was so evident, it made us feel at ease.

There was a point and time when Mom’s BP went pretty low; Madelyn called in the CRNA and the attending OB. She managed the situation so gracefully that we didn't really have the opportunity to be concerned. We knew we were in good hands. Late into the shift, Mom was ready to deliver and instead of deferring to the next shift, Madelyn called in all of the appropriate parties and saw the delivery through. At 6:55 am, we welcomed our baby into the world with a team of medical professionals that were all very attentive, and genuinely cared about their patients- we will never forget this moment.

My wife and I could not be more grateful for having such a wonderful team supporting us, most importantly a wonderful RN. I feel like we made a friend for life on a night when we were worn thin and had every reason to be fearful.

As wordy as my email was, I really just hit the high notes; our experience was nothing short of a blessing. After doing a little reading on the DAISY Award, I can't think of a better fit for the award than Madelyn Kennedy.