Camie Bruhweiler was my labor and delivery nurse for the birth of my son. She was on duty for hours 10-22 of my 22-hour labor. Needless to say, a time when my nerves and discomfort are at their peak. She always entered the room with a sense of calmness and confidence that would put the most nervous of patients at ease.
I always felt heard and understood when expressing my concerns and feelings to Camie. When my labor slowed down and discomfort increased, she helped me understand my options and allowed me space and support to adjust my plan in my own time. When I expressed concern about my labor coming to a standstill, she reviewed the peanut ball method with me.
As I rested in my final hours before delivery, Camie came in every 30 minutes to rotate me with the peanut ball to ensure things progressed. I was in disbelief when I woke up to learn it was time to deliver! As it came time to begin pushing, she once again demonstrated a calm yet confident energy that set a beautiful environment for the birth of my son.
I've been told that my baby has a peaceful way about him. I believe I have Camie to thank for that. She is kind, smart, gentle and supportive - all qualities that any first-time mom would want in her nurse. I'm sure I'm not the only mom who she has impacted for the better. Thank you!
***
My husband and I had a fantastic experience in L&D. All the nurses we interacted with were excellent. However, Camie was absolutely above and beyond. She worked the shift when I finally delivered my son, and I'm so glad. She recognized my husband and me right away when she first came in - we had met her in pre-triage a few weeks early during a false alarm. We were with her for 10-15 minutes at that time, so for her to recognize us even a few weeks later was impressive. I'm a doctor so I have a sense of how many faces she must see every day!
Throughout my last stages/hours of labor and delivery, Camie was incredibly supportive and kept our requests in mind. I had asked to have things explained in medical jargon and not to have things "dumbed down" and she did this and let all the other staff know. She helped keep the mood light - no small feat as I approached 24 hours in L&D! She was very attentive without hovering, and she kept us fully informed about my progress, about staff changes, and the process and procedures when I actually made it to delivery.
I think one of the hardest things in the medical field is reading patients and families to help provide the best care for each individual personality. She read us perfectly, from my husband's sense of humor to my need for information and my impatience to meet our baby. I felt like I had a friend with me during those last hours of labor and during delivery. To be able to obtain trust and instill confidence from a patient is so important and she definitely did both. She gets my highest praise, both as a patient and as a fellow medical professional, and I know my husband feels the same. She absolutely deserves a DAISY Award and she is absolutely an extraordinary nurse.