I am a recent patient at SJWH. My spouse and I would whole-heartedly love to nominate Savannah for a DAISY Award. After getting admitted to the L&D unit for my first time in labor, we were nervous, excited, and running on adrenaline. By the time Savannah arrived for her shift, contractions had kicked in and I was getting pretty uncomfortable. Never having been in labor before, I had no idea what was considered to be a tolerable pain level and when to ask for the epidural. Savannah quickly reassured me that it was never too soon to ask and that I wasn't demonstrating weakness by doing so. She proceeded to get me ready for the epidural with the required IV fluids and other prep-work required so that I was able to get the epidural once ready. My water proceeded to break in its entirety all over the floor, which I was embarrassed about, and she sweetly told me not to stress it as she helped clean both me and the floor up.

Savannah coached me through the process of getting the epidural, reassuring me that I was doing a great job as the anesthesiologist placed it. As the evening went on, we felt like she never left our side. I had breakthrough pain twice during labor, and she ensured that the anesthesiologist was present at my bedside to quickly address the situation and administer additional medication. Moreover, I got sick twice during labor, and she helped by placing cool washcloths on my forehead, calmly talking me through it, and promptly administering anti-nausea medication. She demonstrated compassion and empathy with each little bump in the road.

Savannah communicated clearly when it came time for her lunch break, letting us know she'd be back in 30 minutes but that we were in good hands with her coworkers in the meantime, who frequently checked on us as well. By the time it came time to begin pushing, she was by far the greatest labor coach we could have imagined. As a first-time expectant mother, I was most terrified of the labor process - no matter how much I read to prepare, I still didn't feel ready. At this point, I had been in labor for 20 hrs. I was tired but excited, and she coached me through each and every push, eagerly counting down and encouraging me to keep strong as the hours passed.

Exhausted 2 hours in, I suddenly got a second wind and became very chatty in my final hour of pushing. Savannah said she was so happy to see that I was feeling better, and I could tell she genuinely meant it. We were almost there - and she said she couldn't wait to meet our baby too! She kept me smiling and laughing in the final hour of labor, and it felt like everything happened in the blink of an eye thanks to her extraordinary care. Of course, it was 5 minutes before shift change that our baby decided to make an entrance into the world, and she and the rest of the team cheered me on with those final pushes. Our baby made his entrance into the world, and she was by our side the entire time - with grace, empathy, thoughtfulness, and some humor too! My spouse and I look back fondly at the entire L&D experience thanks to the remarkable nurse that she is, and we truly believe that she deserves this admirable recognition!