June 2026 Honoree
Tenele Scheer, RN
Tenele deserves this DAISY Award because she profoundly shaped one of the most vulnerable and meaningful experiences of my life—bringing my first child into the world.
I first met Tenele in triage, and from the very beginning she was incredibly reassuring, attentive, and calming. I suffer from extreme anxiety and panic disorder, and it is not uncommon for me to feel dismissed or made to feel difficult in medical settings. Tenele was the opposite of that. She listened to me, validated my fears, and made me feel genuinely safe and cared for.
A few days later, when I returned to be induced, seeing her again in Labor & Delivery felt like a lifeline. Finding out that she had actually requested a shift change so she could be my nurse had an enormous impact on me and on my birth story. It made me feel seen, remembered, and deeply supported at a time when I felt incredibly alone.
My parents were back in England and unable to be with me because my father was critically ill in the hospital, which added to my anxiety and emotional strain. I shared many of my fears with Tenele, and she met every one of them with compassion and practical care. She did everything she could to make me comfortable, right down to wrapping my IV in gauze so I would not have to look at it, as IVs are a major trigger for my panic.
I had invested in a doula for support, but she was unable to make it to the hospital during the early stages of my induction, and I was in significant pain and distress. Tenele did not leave my side. She was protective, informative, and steady, providing incredible emotional support not only to me, but also to my husband, who was navigating his own fear while trying to support me.
Although an epidural was not part of my original birth plan due to my anxiety, I ultimately needed one. Tenele was there through every moment—hugging me, coaching my breathing, motivating me, and helping me feel grounded and brave during one of the scariest moments of my life. Her presence made something I feared feel manageable.
From the first blood draw in triage to coaching me to push, Tenele was constant, compassionate, and unwavering.
Our daughter arrived just an hour and a half before Tenele's shift ended, and both my husband and I truly believe that she made our birth experience what it was.
I feel incredibly lucky and honored to have had her as my nurse, and I will never forget the impact she had on our family.
I first met Tenele in triage, and from the very beginning she was incredibly reassuring, attentive, and calming. I suffer from extreme anxiety and panic disorder, and it is not uncommon for me to feel dismissed or made to feel difficult in medical settings. Tenele was the opposite of that. She listened to me, validated my fears, and made me feel genuinely safe and cared for.
A few days later, when I returned to be induced, seeing her again in Labor & Delivery felt like a lifeline. Finding out that she had actually requested a shift change so she could be my nurse had an enormous impact on me and on my birth story. It made me feel seen, remembered, and deeply supported at a time when I felt incredibly alone.
My parents were back in England and unable to be with me because my father was critically ill in the hospital, which added to my anxiety and emotional strain. I shared many of my fears with Tenele, and she met every one of them with compassion and practical care. She did everything she could to make me comfortable, right down to wrapping my IV in gauze so I would not have to look at it, as IVs are a major trigger for my panic.
I had invested in a doula for support, but she was unable to make it to the hospital during the early stages of my induction, and I was in significant pain and distress. Tenele did not leave my side. She was protective, informative, and steady, providing incredible emotional support not only to me, but also to my husband, who was navigating his own fear while trying to support me.
Although an epidural was not part of my original birth plan due to my anxiety, I ultimately needed one. Tenele was there through every moment—hugging me, coaching my breathing, motivating me, and helping me feel grounded and brave during one of the scariest moments of my life. Her presence made something I feared feel manageable.
From the first blood draw in triage to coaching me to push, Tenele was constant, compassionate, and unwavering.
Our daughter arrived just an hour and a half before Tenele's shift ended, and both my husband and I truly believe that she made our birth experience what it was.
I feel incredibly lucky and honored to have had her as my nurse, and I will never forget the impact she had on our family.
Thank you, Tenele, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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