Olivia Snider, RN

Yesterday was truly one for the books, and Olivia showed the true selflessness nurses demonstrate daily that often goes unrecognized. About mid-morning yesterday, the OR staff were notified of an emergent section, and it was going to be all hands on deck. We flew out of our department and ran to the OR to begin opening, and the CRNA rolled the patient in right behind us about two minutes later. The look on everybody's face was true, sincere commitment to save the mom and baby.

It was in that moment that Olivia threw herself on the bed in order to move this patient with me safely to the operating table. She gripped the sheets so tight her knuckles were white, but she was determined to save two lives. In that moment, when I thought it couldn't get worse, the MD needed manual vaginal pressure during the section. Once again, Olivia didn't bat an eye and threw on her sterile glove, climbed under the drape, and provided the pressure. I looked up and saw Olivia bent over with her leg sliding. I came behind her and held her to provide extra support because she truly was giving all of her body weight and more.

During these moments, nurses wholeheartedly give everything they have to save every life they can, and Olivia did just that. Once the baby was out and the mom was stable, an X-ray was ordered due to the emergent status and the initial count being delayed. During the X-ray, Olivia had stepped out, and when she walked back in, we made a joke, to which she replied, "I was protecting my fetus."

Not only did Olivia save two lives, but she also did it while caring for her own and growing another. She deserves the utmost respect, and I would trust her with mine and my baby's life. While she might have seen it as just another day at work, it brought tears to my eyes. It was an honor to watch Olivia yesterday, and I hope to one day be the nurse that she is!