Maxine Schmidt
April 2026
Maxine
Schmidt
,
RN
NICU
UMass Memorial Medical Center
Worcester
,
MA
United States
Her compassion, communication, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to our child’s wellbeing left an impact on our family that will stay with us forever.
From the moment we arrived in the NICU, Maxine stood out as an extraordinary nurse whose dedication, compassion, and expertise shaped one of the most challenging experiences of our lives into one filled with trust and hope. We were incredibly lucky to have her as our nurse for four days, four days that set the tone for our entire NICU journey.
Maxine went above and beyond in every interaction. She took the time to explain each aspect of NICU care in a way that was clear and reassuring, empowering us to take an active role in our child’s care under her guidance. Even as second-time parents, the NICU was a new and overwhelming experience, and her steady presence helped us feel grounded and capable.
She guided us through every step, from feeding to comforting to understanding the monitors, always with patience and encouragement. Her communication was exceptional; we never wondered what was happening or why, because she made sure we understood the plan, the progress, and the small victories along the way.
It was because of Maxine’s exceptional care and clinical attention to detail that a subtle but important trend in our child’s condition was identified. She noticed a small change that others might have missed, something just slightly out of the ordinary, and immediately raised the concern to the care team. She didn’t hesitate to insist that it be taken seriously and elevated for further evaluation.
Thanks to her quick thinking and strong advocacy, our child was transferred to a different section of the NICU for the specialized care he needed. We have no doubt that her attentiveness made a critical difference.
After our child was transferred, Maxine still made time to check on us at the end of her shift tonight. That single gesture of coming by after a long day meant more than she may ever realize. It showed us that our child wasn’t just another patient to her; he was someone she genuinely cared about, and we felt that deeply.
We nominated Maxine because she embodies what it means to be an exceptional NICU nurse. Her compassion, communication, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to our child’s wellbeing left an impact on our family that will stay with us forever. We will always remember how fortunate we were to have her by our side in those first days.
Maxine went above and beyond in every interaction. She took the time to explain each aspect of NICU care in a way that was clear and reassuring, empowering us to take an active role in our child’s care under her guidance. Even as second-time parents, the NICU was a new and overwhelming experience, and her steady presence helped us feel grounded and capable.
She guided us through every step, from feeding to comforting to understanding the monitors, always with patience and encouragement. Her communication was exceptional; we never wondered what was happening or why, because she made sure we understood the plan, the progress, and the small victories along the way.
It was because of Maxine’s exceptional care and clinical attention to detail that a subtle but important trend in our child’s condition was identified. She noticed a small change that others might have missed, something just slightly out of the ordinary, and immediately raised the concern to the care team. She didn’t hesitate to insist that it be taken seriously and elevated for further evaluation.
Thanks to her quick thinking and strong advocacy, our child was transferred to a different section of the NICU for the specialized care he needed. We have no doubt that her attentiveness made a critical difference.
After our child was transferred, Maxine still made time to check on us at the end of her shift tonight. That single gesture of coming by after a long day meant more than she may ever realize. It showed us that our child wasn’t just another patient to her; he was someone she genuinely cared about, and we felt that deeply.
We nominated Maxine because she embodies what it means to be an exceptional NICU nurse. Her compassion, communication, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to our child’s wellbeing left an impact on our family that will stay with us forever. We will always remember how fortunate we were to have her by our side in those first days.