At 40 weeks and 1 day pregnant, I found myself in the L&D triage unit with symptoms of pre-eclampsia. After being rushed to the high-risk maternity unit, I was treated over the course of 12 hours and then moved to the main L&D floor for an induction. This is where I met the sweetest, most patient, compassionate nurse, Jordan R. During a very prolonged and complicated early labor process, Jordan was able to provide both me and my labor partners, (my husband and my mom), with a sense of calm and humor to get us through that very difficult and scary time. Jordan not only made sure my needs were met quickly and safely but also made sure my mom and husband took time to take care of themselves: she encouraged them to order food, take breaks, rest, and laugh. All the while, this was happening during the holiday season: we were all pulled away from our families and any real sense of a normal Christmas week.

We felt safe with Jordan, both physically and emotionally, that we confided in her our previous traumatic experience that was impacting this current pregnancy and delivery. Just a year before, we sadly lost the son we so desperately wanted at 25 weeks gestation. Jordan embraced us immediately, giving us listening ears, empathy, and the human touch that we didn't know we needed until she was there. Without missing a beat, she also took the next step to exclaim: "This is your rainbow baby," bringing a tear to all of our eyes. During my induction, we were told that my stats were fluctuating and with some of my contractions, baby A was unfortunately decelerating. Jordan was there every step of the way, making sure A was safe on the monitor, reporting directly to the team, and explaining every step of the process without feeding any of my fears.

After the decision was made to take me for an emergency c-section, Jordan held my hand and reassured me that she would be there for me and personally take care of our baby during the whole process. The reassurance immediately calmed my nerves as I felt confident that A would be in the best hands. Only a few minutes later, we heard his strong cry, and I quickly looked over to see Jordan talking to A, cleaning him off (he swallowed a lot of meconium), and transitioning him safely to "earthside." I breathed a huge sigh of relief. My baby was okay. I also noticed Jordan explaining each step to my husband, reassuring him as well, and making sure he had a close eye over A. While I was being working on in the OR, Jordan took the extra step again, inking A's feet in rainbow ink, and giving us the most beautiful baby footprints. She made sure to give us a beautiful rainbow quilt and a storybook titled "A Rainbow Baby Story: Rainbow After the Storm." She also took regular baby footprints, and printed them right onto my husband's arms, almost like a temporary tattoo with our little guy's footprints. These keepsakes and pictures will be treasured for a lifetime, and not once did we even ask for this type of mementos and sentiments. Jordan took it upon herself to go that extra mile in making us feel safe, supported, and listened to. She also made sure to honor our baby that we lost last year and simultaneously celebrate our new little one that was born. Jordan also took time out of her day to come and visit us the next day and make sure we were all doing well. We snapped a photo of A with his best nurse, and we will be telling him the story of his grand entrance, and how a special person named Jordan took the extra time to make mommy and daddy feel calm and ready to meet him! Jordan truly exemplified the traits of a compassionate and Extraordinary Nurse, and she is so deserving of the DAISY Award.