We received a patient at the Women’s Center who was experiencing the unimaginable heartbreak of delivering a stillborn baby. While our entire team worked hard to provide compassionate care, one nurse stood out in an extraordinary way. Shelby Ross went far beyond routine bedside care.

Recognizing the depth of the patient’s grief, Shelby chose to share her own deeply personal experience, the loss of her newborn son in 2019. Through this heartfelt connection, she created a unique and powerful bond with the patient. Shelby didn’t just speak with the patient; she sat with her in her pain, both literally and emotionally. She joined the patient on the bathroom floor, helped her bathe, and allowed space for tears, stories, and healing. When she emerged from the room, her scrubs were soaked from the splash back, not from the procedure but from the presence. Shelby gave her patient the freedom to grieve openly, supported by someone who truly understood.

What makes Shelby even more remarkable is that her support didn’t end when her shift did. She has continued to stay in contact with the patient, offering encouragement and understanding long after discharge. The patient found in Shelby the support she so desperately needed; someone who truly gets it and continues to lean on that connection in her healing journey. This is the kind of nurse Shelby is: selfless, deeply empathetic, and willing to meet her patients wherever they are, emotionally and physically. Her ability to transform a moment of devastating loss into one of comfort and connection is what makes her a true DAISY Nurse. We are incredibly fortunate to have Shelby on our team.