Our Birth Story – Amazing Nurses

The birth of my first daughter was a traumatic and frightening one. After many hours of labor, my baby was stuck and not getting enough Oxygen. My Obstetrician calmly explained that he would use gentle suction to help guide her out. When suction failed, the OB then reminded me how the forceps worked while quickly trying to move my baby enough to free her.  

In less than a minute, specialty teams were rushing into my delivery room to prepare for the emergency delivery. The doctor went from patiently explaining what was happening to frantically whispering with the other doctors about what they were doing. 

It was terrifying.

Throughout the entire process, one of the delivery room nurses stood beside me.  As my husband held one hand, she held the other, reassuring me and comforting me.  

The doctors were finally able to free my baby girl and she was then delivered without any permanent injury.  

Much of the delivery seems like a blur now. I remember being terrified of losing my baby. I remember agonizing pain. I remember eventually feeling relief and joy like I’d never before experienced when my sweet daughter was OK.  

And I remember that nurse.  

The woman who was a true blessing to me during that extremely emotional and frightening experience. I’ve never forgotten how amazing she was and I don’t think I ever will.

There are too many people who are in fields they shouldn’t be in, or who are burned out and just don’t care any more. But she was absolutely meant to be a nurse. She couldn’t have done a better job or meant more to me, my husband and my baby girl than she did that day in the delivery room.

It isn’t often that a person can have such a profound effect on another person’s life simply by doing her job.

Have you ever had a nurse make a difference in your life?  If so, you should nominate her/him for the Johnson&Johnson Amazing Nurses Contest.  Just head over to the entry pages on the Amazing Nurses website or the Amazing Nurses Facebook Tab and tell the story of the amazing nurse who made an impact on your life or the life of a loved one.  

The winner and a guest will attend the 2012 CNN Heroes All-Star Tribute show in Los Angeles and will be honored in a video profile which will be screened before the live audience at the show and featured on the Nursing Notes by Johnson & Johnson Facebook page. (*Eligible Nominees for the Amazing Nurses contest must be a Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) who currently administers direct patient care.)

* Be sure to go now! The last day to nominate is June 29th!

Interesting Facts About the Healthcare Field:

• There is a severe shortage of nurses right now, with an astonishing nationwide vacancy of more than100,000 positions.

• It is estimated that there will be 800,000 empty nursing positions by the year 2020 as people continue to live longer and need more care.

• Because of the shortage, the career outlook for this highly regarded field is excellent. Nurses offer comfort and care to patients who desperately need it and now is the perfect time to start a career in that field.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Johnson & Johnson and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.