In May, I gave birth to my first baby. It was the happiest day of my life thus far. However, the days leading up to my son's birth were very scary. While each and every nurse who cared for us was equally amazing, there is one in particular who sticks out in my story and that I would like to recognize. Her name is Justine Barnes.

I was at home and began to not feel well and ended up getting admitted to labor and delivery early with sudden onset pre-eclampsia with severe symptoms. To say I was scared would be an understatement. Over the course of a few days, I endured all of the medication and procedures one would in an attempt to induce them and get their bodies ready to give birth. I was also on a magnesium drip to prevent seizures that could occur because of the pre-eclampsia.

Justine came on shift early Tuesday morning at 3 am. At this point, I was physically exhausted and was starting to feel unwell and not myself, barely able to participate in basic care. I couldn’t understand why I felt the way I did but Justine recognized it and had my magnesium level checked and it came back elevated, which lead to that medication being turned off. I remember telling my fiancé how scared I was and making him promise to keep myself and our unborn child safe. I voiced my concerns to Justine and she supported me and always encouraged me that everything would be okay. Eventually, I was consented for a C-section, as my baby’s heart rate was dropping when I was having contractions. Shortly after this consent was obtained, baby boy started to do a little bit better and I was told I did not need the C-section. However, at this point in time I felt so sick from the medication I knew that my body would be unable to handle the physical demands of labor and vaginal childbirth so I voiced that I felt I needed the C-section for the safety of my baby and ultimately myself. It then became planned that I would have a C-section.

A few hours later I was told that all the medications I was previously on would be turned back on and that the doctor wanted to get me to 10cm dilated and have me attempt to push. When this news was delivered to me, I broke down and cried to Justine that I physically was not in a place where my body could handle what the doctor was asking of it. She looked and me and told me that she would go personally call the doctor and speak with them and do everything she could to stand up for me and make my wishes known at a time when I could hardly do so for myself. As a nurse myself, I understand the importance of advocating for your patient but didn’t realize the power of this until I was patient having someone advocate for me. I do not know what Justine did or said, but shortly after she spoke with the doctor, the doctor came in and told me I was done laboring and that I would be having a C-section after all. In this moment the gratitude I felt towards Justine was ever flowing and I knew that this decision from the doctor was due to the way she advocated for me and my unborn child.

From this point on, Justine made sure she had absolutely everything in order so there was no possible way my C-section could be delayed. I have not had a major surgery since I was two years old so I was naturally very nervous for my C-section. Justine explained everything to me, in full detail and stayed with me until she had to circulate in the OR. After my son was born, he needed to go directly to the NICU- another bump in the road I was not expecting. My fiancé went with my son to the NICU and I had to recover in the PACU without my little family. However, I was not alone, because Justine was there with me, guiding me every step of the way and offering me encouragement.

Once recovered, Justine wheeled me to my postpartum room where I would stay for a few more days. At that point, I can remember thanking her for everything she had done for me but it wasn’t until a few days later I was able to process the real impact Justine’s care had on my experience. Had she not been there to advocate for me, I am not sure what would have happened to myself or my baby. She not only made me feel safe and cared for but she advocated for me in a way that ultimately led to the safety of myself and my baby boy.

I will never be able to thank Justine appropriately for the way she cared for me as there are no words that could come close to the gratitude I feel towards her. I have been a nurse at UMass for 8 years and I have never met a nurse more deserving of this award than her. If I had the power to award it to her myself, I would do so over and over again. Nurses like her are few and far between and I will remember her care for the rest of my life. I am now safe at home with my baby boy and new family. Every day when I look at my sweet son's face I reflect on what would have happened if I did not have Justine as my nurse that day. I will be eternally grateful to her, for the rest of my life and I hope that after reading my story you too will be affected by Justine and honor her with this award.