How one labor and delivery nurse goes above and beyond expectations for patients during the ‘big push’
Nurse's willingness to stay late for a mother-to-be earns her a DAISY Award.
It was almost 7 p.m. and although Bailey Hadden, RN, was near the end of her shift, she wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon. A patient she had been caring for the past two days was about to give birth, and Hadden wanted her to have a familiar face during the vulnerable moment.
Hadden’s willingness to stay late didn’t go unnoticed by the mother-to-be, whose labor was particularly drawn out and complicated.
“On top of her amazing clinical and interpersonal skills, Bailey remained three hours after her shift to help deliver my baby, even though there was another nurse on shift to take over for her,” the patient recalls. “When my baby was born with a nuchal cord, resulting in needing oxygen after birth, Bailey stayed with me and shared frequent updates until they could be brought to me. She truly made this long, arduous process the absolute best it could have been under the circumstances.”
Patient-first philosophy
Hadden, a nurse in the Labor and Delivery Unit, notes that she has never left a patient’s side when they start pushing during the labor process. “It’s only happened a few times during shift change where my patient is ready to begin pushing, but once the patient gets to that point, I feel like I should just see it through with them.”
For Hadden, it’s simply part of her patient care philosophy.
“Even though our entire team is fantastic, I didn’t want the patient to have to try to form a bond with someone new while she was actively pushing,” says Hadden. “We had done a lot of work together throughout the day to get her to the point she was at. So, I wanted to stay to help ease any anxieties she might have had in what is the most stressful part of the labor process.”
Providing comfortable, informative health care
When it comes to delivering effective patient care in the Labor and Delivery unit, Hadden notes she always tries to keep in mind that many patients don’t know what to expect when they go into labor.
“The fact that we’re helping bring new life into the world is a very exciting thing in itself. However, it’s good to note that there’s a lot of education involved in the entire process,” she explains. “I always want patients to know everything that is going on so that they can make informed decisions about their own care.”
Hadden notes that it’s especially important to also listen to patients when they voice concerns and any concerns of their family. “We can get into this groove of just going through the motions because we, as the care team, know everything that’s happening. But it’s a matter of making sure patients and their families are in the loop on the labor and care process as well.”
Although Hadden was recognized individually with a DAISY Award, she notes that what she does in the Labor and Delivery unit can’t be done by just one nurse. “I’ve never felt more supported by a team than I do by the team I work with currently. They are fantastic. Whenever you need help, they’re willing to come running for you.”
