May 2024
Rachel
Hermes
,
RN, BSN
NICU
University of Chicago Medical Center (AKA University of Chicago Medicine, UChicago Medicine)
Chicago
,
IL
United States
She exemplifies what it means to be an Extraordinary Nurse. Not only is she extremely skilled as a NICU nurse, she has a great deal of compassion.
Our son was shockingly born prematurely, and it rocked our world. All of the excitement and hopefulness surrounding our little one’s arrival turned into what felt like a nightmare overnight. Watching our innocent and very loved little guy fighting for his life has been gut-wrenching, but his nurse, Rachel, has been a saving grace in the midst of our emotional turmoil. She exemplifies what it means to be an Extraordinary Nurse. Not only is she extremely skilled as a NICU nurse, she has a great deal of compassion. She takes the time to communicate any changes and explain them so that we understand what his care plan entails. I feel a great deal of comfort knowing Rachel is his nurse when I have to leave his bedside overnight. She has taken the time to learn our son’s cues such as when his sats are dropping she knows when she needs to intervene and when to give him time to bring himself back up, which helps him strengthen his respiratory system. I know we have a long road ahead of us in the NICU but knowing Rachel will be there along the way gives our family great peace of mind. She seems to truly care for our child and continuously goes above and beyond. She is the kind of nurse that each and every child deserves, and we are lucky to have her provide extraordinary care for our loved ones.