I had the pleasure of meeting Kathryn Murray on the labor and delivery unit. This was my first time in the hospital as a patient, my first pregnancy and my first induction experience. I was able to have Kathryn as my nightshift nurse for two consecutive nights and immediately recognized that I was being provided the best possible care I could have imagined. As a nurse myself you can never truly understand what it is like to be a patient until you are one. Within the first few minutes of interacting with Kathryn it was apparent she was very detail-oriented and extremely competent in the information and education she provided about the induction and labor process. She took the time to do little things like fix and redress and IV that looked like a hot mess instead of just slapping on more tape to reinforce it. Again, as a patient, you have nothing but time to notice the little details which don't seem important, but in all actuality make a huge difference. Kathryn not only engaged me in conversation but addressed and included my husband in the plan of care and answered the multitude of questions he had. She was attentive, compassionate, and made sure everything was completed and ready for the next shift to be successful.
The second day of my induction was a bit rough from my perspective due to being tired, in pain, and with the process moving at a snail's pace. Thankfully prior to Kathryn's shift, things had started to move along and we were confident the delivery of our girl would occur at some point throughout the night. We were completely excited she was back because we knew we had a nurse who was confident, calm with a laidback personality. She came in and explained the plan for the evening which included utilizing a peanut ball in order to assist with the laboring process. To be honest, after giving this ball a try I was not in love, but Kathryn was persistent in explaining why it's important and worked with me to make me comfortable but to use the necessary tools available to get the show on the road. Once we realized delivery was imminent Kathryn and the OR tech were all business and shifted into "let's do this mode". She coached me through the whole process, involved my husband while remaining calm and demonstrating confidence that completely kept us at ease. We asked if we could play a little music, we threw on some Queen and she took control and told me when to push and when to hold off. The entire team made laboring a smooth, fun (as fun as it could be) and safe process. Kathryn led the team and coached me up until the very moment my baby was about to make her world debut. When my baby came, and her cord tore, Kathryn remained calm and professional which kept me at ease and allowed me and my husband to take in the moment that our baby had arrived. Afterward, she ensured we knew what was going on as well as helping me relax and made sure we had a successful transition to the post-partum unit.
The point of the DAISY Award is to acknowledge skillful and compassionate care for extraordinary nursing. In my experience with this award, there is often a single event that is recognized. I believe it is more important to acknowledge the demonstration of consistent exemplary clinical practice and patient-centered compassionate care provided to patients and their families. In general conversation, Kathryn told us she has only been a nurse for two years. We were truly surprised based on the confidence and competence she showed during the time she was our nurse.
The birth of your child is arguably the most important moment/event of a person's life. Kathryn was instrumental in this event for us and she directly contributed to making the birth of my baby not only the best experience it could be but the safest experience for both me and my baby. She is not only a skilled clinician but a natural leader who is a great representation of your hospital and the type of nurse that leadership dreams of having on their team.
As a nurse, it is refreshing and enlightening to see a colleague exemplify the nursing core values and safe, detail-oriented exceptional care. As a patient, I am truly thankful for Kathryn and the time she spent with my family and will forever be grateful for the memory of our labor and delivery experience as well as everything she did for me and my baby.