Dedicated Nurses Provide Unwavering Support During Challenging Labor and Delivery Experiences
Cori De Jong, RN & Maggie McDonald, RN
Nurses Maggie McDonald, RN, and Cori De Jong, RN, of Sanford Sheldon Medical Center are the recent recipients of a Team DAISY award for extraordinary nursing. The following is from their nominations:
“Cori came on shift in the afternoon through our induction. While our induction was slow moving, Cori did a fantastic job staying with us and making sure we were well taken care of. Throughout the night, baby was difficult to monitor his heart rate. Cori stayed in the room with us and helped us keep monitoring our baby’s heart rate as we progressed.
Dr. Lichty called for a c-section due to the stress on mom and baby. While Cori’s shift was over, she continued to stay with us providing comfort and support. She came to the OR with us and throughout to pre-op, documenting and noting all the necessary information. I believe Cori stayed with us until we returned to our recovery room and were settled, around 6-7am, hours beyond the end of her shift.
Even after our 1 week check up, we saw her in the hall and she stopped to chat with us and ask how both mom and baby were doing. It was truly comforting to have such a caring and generous nurse during the labor and delivery of our first baby! I often reflect on how grateful we were to have such a dedicated and compassionate nurse that was willing to stay with us beyond her shift. We are so grateful for her!
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Maggie was a God-send! I had been in active labor and pushing for over an hour. Dr. Lichty had called an emergency C-section. I remember the fear of the unknown and the panic I felt hearing these words. This was our very first baby and our delivery had taken a turn that we did not prepare for. This is when Maggie came in, grabbed my hand and was there every step of the way. I immediately felt like I was in great hands with Maggie and her positive comforting spirit made it much easier for me to relax knowing I was in great hands. She explained everything so well, letting me know each step throughout the entire process of moving into the c-section throughout the procedure and staying with us post-op. When my husband was not able to be by my side next to me, Maggie was there. She maintained such a calm and encouraging voice throughout a very unfamiliar situation. Maggie stayed with us through post-op and getting us settled in our recovery room. She continued to check on us whenever she was working and even when she was not in our department, she was attentive to us throughout our stay. I often think of Maggie when I reflect on our birthing experience. I truly am so grateful for her and the amazing nurse she is! She was such a blessing throughout our stay, and we are forever grateful for her!