I have often heard throughout my years as an RN that in order to be a good nurse, you need to have a heart for it and love what you do. I cannot think of anyone else more dedicated to their nursing practicethan Lettesha Haley RNC-OB.

I met Lettesha in 2017 as a new nurse with zero labor and delivery experience. She was my preceptor, and I remember being in awe of how effortless she made her duties look and how she would just act whenever necessary. I remember thinking how lucky I was to have her as my mentor and how badly I wanted to be a great nurse like Lettesha.

She helped guide me in my practice and challenged me in the best ways possible. She helped me build up my confidence, autonomy, patient advocacy, and ability to critically think. She has also served as preceptor to somewhere around 20+ new L&D nurses throughout her career, which speaks to her incredible patience, humble personality, guidance, and strong leadership skills. I have seen Latesha in some very beautiful moments and extremely difficult ones in my six years as her colleague.

Just recently, Lettesha took on an assignment of a patient who suffered an unimaginable loss, her second this year. She offered to care for this woman because she was her nurse during the first loss and wanted the patient to have a familiar face as she went through this heartbreaking ordeal. She wanted to support this family because she knew what they had already been through. She fought hard to get the patient and her partner the support and resources they desperately needed. I am sure it meant the world to them.

The one constant factor is her ability to always put the patient first, regardless of their situation. Through the good and bad Obstetrics offers, Lettesha’s quality and level of care never falters. Her advocacy for patient care and safety drives her nursing practice, unlike anything I have ever seen before. She practices nursing as it has always been intended to be, with a whole, compassionate heart mixed with impeccable critical thinking skills. Lettesha has such a calming energy, an infectious laugh and smile, and the most beautiful soul. She was born to be a nurse.

I had the honor of having her as my labor nurse when I delivered my daughter in 2022. Never at a moment did I worry that my daughter or I would not be well taken care of. She had my full trust and confidence, and I knew I was in the most perfect hands. Lettesha is a pillar in our department and a member of an extended family that loves and appreciates everything she does on a daily basis. She exemplifies the standards of nursing practice and all the qualities of a DAISY nurse. In a field of wildflowers, Lettesha Haley-Thomas is a DAISY.