I am a witness to the individual efforts this nurse puts forward every day to be the one who gets to a “yes” for the patient. She single-handedly has taken on every pregnant beneficiary as her own and makes all 750 of them feel like they are her only priority in the world. In the words of one of them, “this nurse has been a shining light of compassion during a difficult medical situation for me. Her commitment to compassionate patient care is immediately obvious in every interaction I’ve had with her. She’s prompt in resolving issues, considerate of delicate situations, and goes above and beyond for her patients. I would trust her with the care of any family member or friend. I have navigated healthcare as a patient for a couple of decades and have received 15 surgeries and countless procedures. From my experience, this nurse is in the top 1% of medical professionals and brings great credit to this organization. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and utmost care during my difficult time.”

I am touched by a particular patient interaction that will forever be cemented in my mind showing the true representation of a DAISY Nurse. An active duty patient had PCS’d to Pensacola at 10 weeks pregnant for just a 6-week training and reached out needing OB care during her very vulnerable first trimester. This patient was high risk as a 42-year-old primagravida with English as her second language and was here completely alone with the father of the baby deployed on a destroyer in the South Pacific. This nurse immediately secured care for this patient here at NHP with one of our supreme OBGYNs and gave the patient her personal phone number in order to be the support this patient may require during this brief but stressful season of her life. In the final week of the patient’s training, she came to NHP for her routine OB visit with plans to transfer her care to her new duty station. At this appointment, she received the most devastating news any patient ever gets: her baby no longer had a heartbeat. This nurse was called over by the patient and the OB provider to begin the process of admitting the patient to the network and to stand by as the support person for this patient. This nurse assumed care of this patient as if she was her own sister. She drove the patient to Baptist Hospital after getting an admission order from the Baptist provider. She sat with the patient, holding her hand, while the receiving network OB provider confirmed what had occurred. This patient who had waited 42 years for her first child would have to deliver and say goodbye to this treasured and loved baby. Without hesitating, this nurse knowing the patient had no friends or family in the area remained, with the patient while the provider described the two different ways she could deliver the baby. This nurse sat with the patient and supported her in the decision to induce the baby naturally rather than surgically remove the baby. She then labored with this patient for nearly 24 hours, sat with her while she got her epidural, advocated for her when she required pain medicine, fed her ice chips, and grieved with her as the patient held her precious baby boy and said goodbye.

This nurse’s journey with the patient did not end there. She then called around to funeral homes to fast-track the cremation of the remains at the patient’s request so the patient could get on the plane just one day after discharge and execute her orders to California where she was greeted by family and support. This nurse shows us all that she is living her calling and purpose as a nurse. It is an honor and inspiration to watch her as she cares for these patients.