September 2021
Hannah S
Pohl
,
RN
Wendel 3
Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital
Charlottesville
,
VA
United States
Hannah displayed steady compassion and empathy throughout our care, never once faltering to respond to the slightest fear.
It is without question, that our days old daughter would not have been born in the most euphoric way without Hannah. Right when Hannah walked into the room, her kindness and warm spirit filled the room and immediately put me and my husband at ease. As a mother currently in the throes of a long labor, with mental and physical depletion, knowledge of a traumatic first birth (at an out-of-town hospital), and a need for trust and confidence, I cannot explain the magnitude of her warm presence for the hours and hours she was with us. Hannah displayed steady compassion and empathy throughout our care, never once faltering to respond to the slightest fear. Her ability to make my husband a part of the team is one I will always remember. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but when seeing Hannah and my husband work together for position changes, and to ultimately catch our daughter, I realized it takes a village to birth a child, too. As a mother attempting a trial of labor after a cesarean section, there are known risks to birthing a child and the understanding of the risks can play on the mother’s mental health- it definitely did for me. Hannah knew this and empathized with my current fears which ultimately enabled a mindset shift for me. Her selflessness to hear my concerns, my husband’s concerns, and to act on them was remarkable. There was no request too big and there was no concern too small. You can tell that Hannah comes to work every day to serve and to serve well- you can easily see she loves her profession. As a healthcare provider myself, we need more Hannahs in our healthcare world. Her ability to form connections, trust, and confidence will always be a highlight of the beautiful birth of our daughter. We cannot express the amount of gratitude we have for Hannah and feel so incredibly lucky that she steered the way of one of the most memorable moments of our lives. Thank you, Hannah!