Nicole M Melkonian
December 2024
Nicole M
Melkonian
,
RN
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Emory Decatur Hospital
Decatur
,
GA
United States
Out of every single person in that room, Mom looked straight at Nicole and said, "Can you please hold my son so he doesn't die alone?" Without one second of hesitation, she said yes and took him into her arms.
I have been wanting to write this nomination for some time now, but in all honesty, recounting parts of this story was not easy for me. In honor of today being World Prematurity Day, I would like to nominate Nicole for being extraordinary and honor the life of a baby born prematurely. Nicole responded to the NICU code button being pressed during the delivery of an estimated 21.5 week baby, despite the fact that this is not considered viable or compatible with life at this hospital. The mother was sobbing and screaming for something to be done to save her son, since she could see his heart beating, and asking if he was truly the age he was estimated to be.
Nicole came into the room accompanied by a NICU provider who explained to the mother that there was nothing the NICU team could do due to the gestational age of the baby, that he would shortly pass, and proceeded to leave. Nicole could have easily walked out then, too, as technically their job was done here, but what she did next is what makes her extraordinary and separates her from the rest. Nicole, on the other hand, picked the baby up and, before she said anything medical, told the mother her son was beautiful and asked what his name was. She then assessed the baby herself, even though technically she did not even need to touch the baby. I watched the moment on her face when she recognized that he was, in fact, truly the age he was estimated to be. I watched her take a deep breath, wipe a tear from her eye, and turn around and hand the mother her son again. With such kindness and grace, she showed the mother things about the baby that proved that he was truly not compatible with life, but not in a scary medical way, in a way that highlighted the beauty of her boy. She then wrapped him up, put a hat on him and placed him on his mother's chest. Once again, she could have left then, but when she noticed the mom trying to take pictures of him on her phone, she asked if she could help take some photos of them together. When she handed the phone back, the mother held Nicole's hand and did not let go for about 10 minutes.
Shortly after, the doctor announced that the mom was hemorrhaging and that she needed to be rushed to the OR, and mom was told that she could not bring her son with her. Out of every single person in that room, Mom looked straight at Nicole and said, "Can you please hold my son so he doesn't die alone?" Without one second of hesitation, she said yes and took him into her arms. There was not a dry eye in the room.. Once mom was wheeled out, Nicole continued to stay and hold him, even when another member of the L&D team offered to relieve her, she replied simply with tears streaming down her face that she had made a promise to the mom and would not break that. What Nicole did that day was nothing short of extraordinary, not only for this mom, but as an example of how, yes, you may be a nurse, but you are a person first. The way she seamlessly combined her sharp clinical and critical thinking skills with her kindness, selflessness, and bravery is the most beautiful display of what it truly should mean to be a nurse I have ever seen.
Nicole came into the room accompanied by a NICU provider who explained to the mother that there was nothing the NICU team could do due to the gestational age of the baby, that he would shortly pass, and proceeded to leave. Nicole could have easily walked out then, too, as technically their job was done here, but what she did next is what makes her extraordinary and separates her from the rest. Nicole, on the other hand, picked the baby up and, before she said anything medical, told the mother her son was beautiful and asked what his name was. She then assessed the baby herself, even though technically she did not even need to touch the baby. I watched the moment on her face when she recognized that he was, in fact, truly the age he was estimated to be. I watched her take a deep breath, wipe a tear from her eye, and turn around and hand the mother her son again. With such kindness and grace, she showed the mother things about the baby that proved that he was truly not compatible with life, but not in a scary medical way, in a way that highlighted the beauty of her boy. She then wrapped him up, put a hat on him and placed him on his mother's chest. Once again, she could have left then, but when she noticed the mom trying to take pictures of him on her phone, she asked if she could help take some photos of them together. When she handed the phone back, the mother held Nicole's hand and did not let go for about 10 minutes.
Shortly after, the doctor announced that the mom was hemorrhaging and that she needed to be rushed to the OR, and mom was told that she could not bring her son with her. Out of every single person in that room, Mom looked straight at Nicole and said, "Can you please hold my son so he doesn't die alone?" Without one second of hesitation, she said yes and took him into her arms. There was not a dry eye in the room.. Once mom was wheeled out, Nicole continued to stay and hold him, even when another member of the L&D team offered to relieve her, she replied simply with tears streaming down her face that she had made a promise to the mom and would not break that. What Nicole did that day was nothing short of extraordinary, not only for this mom, but as an example of how, yes, you may be a nurse, but you are a person first. The way she seamlessly combined her sharp clinical and critical thinking skills with her kindness, selflessness, and bravery is the most beautiful display of what it truly should mean to be a nurse I have ever seen.