When I was admitted the day before my son was born, Ashley welcomed me at the front door of the unit with an encouraging smile and enthusiastic manner. Previously, I suffered the loss of a child through a miscarriage, which left me as a nervous wreck for this delivery. Ashley was determined to make me feel comforted. She continuously assured me that the baby appeared healthy. I felt relieved knowing I was receiving the safest and most excellent care possible.

She included my husband from the start, making him feel equally as important. Even after Ashley's shift ended, she came back to the room to check on us and wish us the best of luck for the day. Ashley returned as my night nurse. After a long day of no labor progression, Ashley continued to help make me comfortable and at ease. She was a great support, coach, teacher, and nurse.

Although I am a labor and delivery nurse myself, I still longed for the same "mom" experience as everyone else. It would have been very easy for Ashley to take short cuts because of my being a nurse, but she never did. Ashley made sure I didn't feel like a nurse on that day, but a Mom.

After twenty-six hours of no progression, I went from early labor to pushing in a matter of minutes. The baby's heart rate did not respond well to the change, and Ashley took control of the situation immediately. Although I had a precipitous delivery, Ashley made the experience better than my husband or I could have ever dreamed of. The situation could have easily been a disaster, but Ashley was able to keep a calming and joyous environment. When my son was born into this world, Ashley placed him on my chest, and tears came from, not only mine and my husband's eyes, but also Ashley's. At that moment I knew exactly why God choose Ashley, someone who expresses such love and passion as a nurse, to experience this miracle with us.

She held my hand through the pain and wiped my tears through the worry. She took care of all three members of our new family. My husband was worried his role as "dad" wouldn't be important in the delivery, but she showed him how crucial he was to the delivery and how valuable he is to me and our son. She is an amazing nurse, and Blue Ridge Regional Hospital is a better place because of her. The saying goes "You can never really know how someone feels until you put yourself in their shoes." After putting myself in my patients' shoes, I was able to better see what a great nurse looks like.

Ashley is an excellent nurse, and I am truly blessed to have had her as a care provider. She is a true role model, and I believe I can use my experience with this special person to be a better nurse. Ashley is not only an excellent nurse, she is a true blessing.