Rachel Ferguson
May 2026
Rachel
Ferguson
,
RN
Emergency Department
Banner Churchill Community Hospital
Fallon
,
NV
United States
Rachel immediately hugged her, rubbed her back, coaxing her to take deep breaths, doing the best she could in that moment to provide remorse and just love for a mom in need when there is not much you can do to make anything better.
An unfortunate reality of an Emergency Room employee is that during your career, you will inevitably be a part of a pediatric code, and you just hope that they are few and far between because of the amount of pain you witness and absorb from the family, specifically the mother, when you watch her watch her lose her baby. It is extremely difficult to talk about, but I think part of this coping process for me is recognizing the amazing things that I do witness and get to be a part of when such a tragedy is occurring around me.
First and foremost, I think that earlier in the week, when we had a pediatric code, I felt that all the staff did an amazing job providing the care that they did, although the outcome and circumstances were miserable to say the least.
Secondly, over the last 6 months or so of working night shift, I have gotten to know the nurses that work on nights so much better, and I think that they are wonderful people and work very hard, which has allowed them to form close bonds and shared kindness towards one another that is a privilege to be included in. I wanted to share that, although after performing CPR, I wanted nothing to do but run out of that trauma room the other night with my hands shaking, hearing the mom's unfathomable pain in her cries when she lost her baby girl, and I watched Rachel Ferguson display humanity and grace.
Rachel immediately hugged her, rubbed her back, coaxing her to take deep breaths, doing the best she could in that moment to provide remorse and just love for a mom in need when there is not much you can do to make anything better. I believe that the level of compassion and pure kindness it takes to hug another mother on what is the worst day of her life is just a reflection of the type of not only nurse she is, but mom herself, and a human being. I am so incredibly grateful that I get to learn and work beside her on a regular basis, and throughout the journey that I am on, attempting to be an RN myself as well as being a mom!
I think that we often like to ignore that we even have to participate in nights like this, but I just wanted Rachel to know that I think if I were ever in that position, lost and in shock, I think a hug from a nurse, just being a real person, is what I might need in that moment.
First and foremost, I think that earlier in the week, when we had a pediatric code, I felt that all the staff did an amazing job providing the care that they did, although the outcome and circumstances were miserable to say the least.
Secondly, over the last 6 months or so of working night shift, I have gotten to know the nurses that work on nights so much better, and I think that they are wonderful people and work very hard, which has allowed them to form close bonds and shared kindness towards one another that is a privilege to be included in. I wanted to share that, although after performing CPR, I wanted nothing to do but run out of that trauma room the other night with my hands shaking, hearing the mom's unfathomable pain in her cries when she lost her baby girl, and I watched Rachel Ferguson display humanity and grace.
Rachel immediately hugged her, rubbed her back, coaxing her to take deep breaths, doing the best she could in that moment to provide remorse and just love for a mom in need when there is not much you can do to make anything better. I believe that the level of compassion and pure kindness it takes to hug another mother on what is the worst day of her life is just a reflection of the type of not only nurse she is, but mom herself, and a human being. I am so incredibly grateful that I get to learn and work beside her on a regular basis, and throughout the journey that I am on, attempting to be an RN myself as well as being a mom!
I think that we often like to ignore that we even have to participate in nights like this, but I just wanted Rachel to know that I think if I were ever in that position, lost and in shock, I think a hug from a nurse, just being a real person, is what I might need in that moment.