I was admitted to the Labor and Delivery unit at Southwest Health to be induced due to fetal demise. I was completely heartbroken and vulnerable. I had no idea what was going on and I was gifted with Nicole as our night shift nurse. Nicole was assigned to me for the night shift at one of the deepest and darkest times of my life. I have never been more thankful to be in the care of her. She was attentive, kind, compassionate, and knew when to say nothing and at all. I was feeling every feeling under the sun. Mad, sad, angry, upset, scared, worried, and who knows what else.

Nicole held my hand, soothed me, listened to me, and even cried with me. She had the most relaxing voice at the time when I needed her most. She understood my needs by just looking at me. She let me open my heart so the healing could begin before my angel baby was born. She talked about the importance of seeking counseling through Babies Gone Too Soon and how it can help me manage my grief and emotions. I have since taken her advice, and counseling is helping me talk about my grief and understand how life grows around it.

This was not my first hospital stay, but it was at Southwest Health. I didn't know what to expect of the nurses at Southwest Health in the OB department, as I have never met them before, but Nicole blew all of my expectations out of the water and then some. Nicole's calming demeanor made me realize how many important qualities it takes to be a labor and delivery nurse, as I know all too well that not all babies are born breathing, and they are born into the hands of God.

In this profession work cannot be just 'work' but a passion to care and truly love what you do. I do not personally know Nicole but can tell she loves what she does just by the way she cared for me and my baby. She deserves the DAISY award due to the excellent compassionate care that she provided to me during one of the saddest and most difficult parts of my life and I will never be able to truly thank her for what she did for me.