Britnee L Palshan
September 2022
Britnee L
Palshan
,
RN, BSN
Postpartum
Barnes-Jewish Hospital
St Louis
,
MO
United States
It has been one year, 3 months, and 9 days since this happened, and the kindness this nurse showed us during this visit still sits with me today.
I presented to the Women's Assessment Center knowing it was not going to be good; my water had broken prematurely 1 week prior, and it was time for me to have my baby. As I entered the room, I was greeted by a friendly nurse who introduced herself and was immediately taken care of. Others came in to assess me and pull together a plan of care and action. During this time, this nurse worked to get my baby's heart rate on the monitor. She looked at me and kindly asked if I would like for her to record my baby's heartbeat, as I think we all knew where this visit was headed. I of course jumped at the opportunity, and she obliged. She returned with a teddy bear that opened in the back and had a recorder inside. She said, "We can record the heart rate here, and then you can have his heart forever." REAL TEARS welled up in my eyes, and I nodded.
Now, getting a heart rate at this time was very difficult to do because my baby had moved down very low, and at 20 weeks, it can be difficult to get a long run of heart rate on a monitor. She did NOT give up. Some machines wouldn't pick up the heart rate, and others shorted out, but she never gave up. Finally, she and a Nurse Practitioner came in with the bedside ultrasound machine to find where the heartbeat was best audible, and we heard my son's heartbeat loud as can be. She quickly grabbed the recorder, and she was able to capture that precious moment for my husband and me.
It has been one year, 3 months, and 9 days since this happened, and the kindness this nurse showed us during this visit still sits with me today. I can never thank her enough. This is a testament to the love and care she shows to her patients. It was one of the worst days of our lives, but she was there to hold us up. She went above and beyond to ensure we had something real to remember our son by. She was focused and tenacious; and even though my son went to heaven that day, it's because of her that we will forever have his heartbeat with us. Thank you to this nurse for taking care of me and my husband, and for being the perfect example of compassion, excellence, and what a nurse should be.
Now, getting a heart rate at this time was very difficult to do because my baby had moved down very low, and at 20 weeks, it can be difficult to get a long run of heart rate on a monitor. She did NOT give up. Some machines wouldn't pick up the heart rate, and others shorted out, but she never gave up. Finally, she and a Nurse Practitioner came in with the bedside ultrasound machine to find where the heartbeat was best audible, and we heard my son's heartbeat loud as can be. She quickly grabbed the recorder, and she was able to capture that precious moment for my husband and me.
It has been one year, 3 months, and 9 days since this happened, and the kindness this nurse showed us during this visit still sits with me today. I can never thank her enough. This is a testament to the love and care she shows to her patients. It was one of the worst days of our lives, but she was there to hold us up. She went above and beyond to ensure we had something real to remember our son by. She was focused and tenacious; and even though my son went to heaven that day, it's because of her that we will forever have his heartbeat with us. Thank you to this nurse for taking care of me and my husband, and for being the perfect example of compassion, excellence, and what a nurse should be.