There’s a saying, “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” and Monica brings that same spirit of unwavering dedication, discipline, and selfless service to her role as a Labor and Delivery nurse. I am honored to have worked in the Labor and Delivery trenches with her these past few years. She is an invaluable teammate who not only exhibits clinical excellence but also demonstrates a level of compassion that profoundly touches her patients and everyone she works with.

I saw her leadership and instinct firsthand one night when I was asleep in the call room. Her voice came over the Vocera, calm but firm, urging me to come to triage immediately for an obstetric emergency. When I arrived, I found Monica already in motion. At the bedside of an extremely preterm patient with severely distressed fetal heart tones, she was a picture of efficiency. As the intern performed an ultrasound, Monica had already placed an IV and alerted the surgical team. She looked at me and confidently recommended we proceed with an emergent cesarean section.

Her compassion shone through just as brightly as her clinical skill. She rapidly transferred the terrified patient to the operating room, clearly explaining why the surgery was necessary every step of the way. The patient’s husband hadn’t made it to the hospital yet, and she was alone. Monica never left her side. She held the patient’s hand throughout the procedure, offering words of comfort. She took the patient's cellphone and held it up, allowing the mother to FaceTime her husband so he could be with her virtually as their child was born. Because of Monica's quick thinking and deep empathy, the baby was delivered safely, and the mother never felt alone.

Her selflessness was on full display another night when she was the charge nurse. We were critically short-staffed and had to divert incoming patients. Instead of being overwhelmed, Monica simply shouldered the load. She took on two patients of her own while simultaneously running the unit and assisting every other nurse.

That night, one of our laboring patients arrived with no childcare. Without a second thought, Monica took it upon herself to care for the patient's two small children. I walked by the nursing station to see one child sitting beside her, coloring, while the other sat contentedly on her lap, watching movies on her phone. She cared for those children with the tenderness of a family member, allowing their mother to bring a new life into the world without worry. She wasn't just this patient's nurse; she was her entire support system.

Monica Hardin doesn't just do her job; she redefines it. She meets every challenge with courage and every patient with profound respect and kindness. She is a protector, a leader, and a caregiver in the truest sense. For her incredible heart and skill, she wholeheartedly deserves the DAISY Award.