Anna Crawford is not only a new nurse to the Women's Care Unit but also a new graduate. When I first met Anna during her preceptorship while she was still a student I saw something special in her, as most of the staff did. She was kind, compassionate, enthusiastic, and absorbed information very quickly. As you can imagine our entire staff was overjoyed when she became a part of us. We could not wait to see what she was going to contribute to our team.
As most labor and delivery nurses know, welcoming newborn babies into the world is pretty much a dream job. With that said most days are wonderful but the bad days are life altering for everyone involved. Not only are we caring for newborn babies, but also their families. Recently a patient arrived on the unit complaining of decreased fetal movement. She was 36 weeks pregnant and they had been eagerly planning the birth of their first son together. The patient and her boyfriend were soon told that their baby boy was no longer alive, and she would have to begin an induction of labor to vaginally deliver. Anna was the first nurse in the room to assess fetal heart rate and was there with her when she was told that her baby had passed away.
Over the course of the shift, Anna compassionately cared for the patient and her family while they digested the fact that they were not going to take their son home. She answered all questions with respect and empathy while giving them accurate and detailed information. The patient also had a history that she was not proud of, and Anna never judged. The induction process took much longer than anticipated so Anna arrived for her next shift 45 minutes before she was scheduled because she promised the patient she would. Her son was born later that night with Anna by her side. Anna dressed the newborn in clothes his mother and father had picked out, swaddled him in a blanket made by his grandmother, and gave the family time to grieve and say goodbye to their son.
Caring for a mother and her family suffering from a fetal demise is not an easy case to take on. We do our jobs to bring life into the world, not to tell a family their baby is gone. Anna bravely and caringly took on this case and saw it through answering questions, offering emotional support, and being a shoulder to cry on, and she did it flawlessly.
There has been no question as to what type of nurse Anna was going to be, yet while caring for this grieving mother and her family she showed her true potential. I was amazed at the care, compassion, and respect she showed doing something that none of us are comfortable with. Anna taught me so much during the course of this case in how to be more empathetic while delivering the best care possible.