Melanie Lewis was nominated by a patient who presented to deliver her second child. She had a lot of anxiety about the delivery after her first birth experience, which came with lots of complications in many different forms.

“When Melanie took over my care, I told her the story of my first birth and all my worries, and she advocated for me the entire way through, by helping me voice concerns to other staff members, giving me words of encouragement, and being honest when needed,” wrote the patient. “I always said after this baby, I was done. Two not-so-fun pregnancies and one very traumatic birth experience. But now after having Melanie as a nurse alongside my doctor, my thoughts on labor and delivery have drastically changed.”