Brooke Hammond
February 2023
Brooke
Hammond
,
ASN, RN
Labor & Delivery
UF Health Shands
Gainesville
,
FL
United States
At every turn I got to just focus on labor and trust that she had my back for everything else, she never left me on my own to try and figure things out and was incredibly respectful of my own wishes and desires.
Working in healthcare, I know just how incredible and important our nurses are. It is completely different to experience it as a patient. Brooke walked into our room like a bright light I so needed the day I had our daughter. From the moment she walked in she was positive, and encouraging and spent every moment advocating for my best and that of our baby. I had already been in labor for two days with little progression and I needed her can-do attitude and encouragement more than she could have known when she got to work. She spent the entire day helping me through labor, shifting positions, and trying every technique to help me progress and get our baby in the best position. When my epidurals failed she advocated for me and made sure to get me help as quickly as possible. At every turn I got to just focus on labor and trust that she had my back for everything else, she never left me on my own to try and figure things out and was incredibly respectful of my own wishes and desires.
At the end of the day when things were not progressing and we had to head to a c-section, she could have easily left, finished her shift, and gone home to her family. Instead, she stayed. What I did not know was that had she not stayed she would have delayed my c-section due to nursing shortages, at this point I was in severe pain and she saved me hours more of this by selflessly giving of her own time. All I remember from the OR was her close to my face reassuring me and telling me I was not alone, thanks to her I wasn’t. My husband ended up not being able to be in the OR due to complications and I had to be put under general anesthesia. Had it not been from Brooke I would have been terrified and felt so alone. She truly was my angel that day, there will never be enough words to convey my deep gratitude for what she did for me and my family that day. Brooke cares deeply for her patients. To be under her care is to feel safe and loved.
The day we were discharged my husband was headed to ask if Brooke was on the day so I could see her before we left, before he could even ask she walked into our room to check on me. That is dedication to your patients. I will forever be grateful for what Brooke did that day for me and for our little girl.
At the end of the day when things were not progressing and we had to head to a c-section, she could have easily left, finished her shift, and gone home to her family. Instead, she stayed. What I did not know was that had she not stayed she would have delayed my c-section due to nursing shortages, at this point I was in severe pain and she saved me hours more of this by selflessly giving of her own time. All I remember from the OR was her close to my face reassuring me and telling me I was not alone, thanks to her I wasn’t. My husband ended up not being able to be in the OR due to complications and I had to be put under general anesthesia. Had it not been from Brooke I would have been terrified and felt so alone. She truly was my angel that day, there will never be enough words to convey my deep gratitude for what she did for me and my family that day. Brooke cares deeply for her patients. To be under her care is to feel safe and loved.
The day we were discharged my husband was headed to ask if Brooke was on the day so I could see her before we left, before he could even ask she walked into our room to check on me. That is dedication to your patients. I will forever be grateful for what Brooke did that day for me and for our little girl.