Nell Mitola, BSN, RN

I delivered my baby extremely preterm four months ago, and I still describe Nell to people as the angel who took care of us when I tell the story of that day. I had been hospitalized for more than a week. By the time Nell's shift started, I was covered in ice packs and was still burning due to the IV I was on. I hadn't eaten or drunk anything for 12 hours as I was waiting for surgery. I could barely remember her name and kept calling her Alex. None of that mattered to Nell. Through it all, she was there, working tirelessly with a kind, steady presence that held me together. She took care of me all day, including sanitizing the portable toilet every time I used it because she understood I was germaphobic. She did everything possible to make me feel more comfortable, even when there was little comfort to be found. At the end of that day, I was finally moved to a single room towards the end of Nell's shift, in the hope of remaining pregnant for a few days, but suddenly, labor progressed with no buffer. Nell was the only person in the room with me, still setting things up, but I was convinced I was going to give birth right then. I told her to trust me, that the baby was coming out, please call NICU, and please do not leave me. She did not hesitate. She held my arms, believed me, and the room was immediately filled with more than 20 people. As soon as the doctor arrived, I gave birth with one push. Her care did not end that day. She checked in on us in the NICU twice during our long stay, including the very day we were discharged. Nell was kind, solid, understanding, and present when I needed someone most. She stood out as a nurse willing and able to go far beyond the normal call of duty, and I will never forget her.