Nicole Pacheco
August 2023
Nicole
Pacheco
,
BSN, RN
Birthplace
Stormont Vail Health
Topeka
,
KS
United States

 

 

 

When I returned to my room from the NICU, I noticed streamers on the outside of my hospital room. When I opened the door my whole room was decorated! It was so colorful and uplifting!
I went to triage on Monday night due to my high blood pressure. I was pregnant with twins but only 35 weeks along. To say I was emotional is an understatement. I was so extremely uncomfortable physically, but I knew these babies needed more time. The next day, my doctors decided I needed to have a C-Section. Nicki was in my room when the doctors from the NICU came in and explained to me what I could expect when my babies were born. I was so overwhelmed and scared for my babies. This was the first time I cried at the hospital. Nicki didn’t hesitate to grab my hand and comfort me. When I went to the operating room, and they were giving me the spinal, Nicki, again was there holding my hands and helping me breathe through the pain. She also used my phone to take pictures during my C-Section, which allowed my husband to focus on me and our babies. My boys were immediately sent to the NICU. I was able to visit them briefly the day they were born. However, the next day, I hemorrhaged and needed 2 units of blood, so I wasn’t able to see my babies. The following day was my birthday, and needless to say, I was not thrilled or even wanting to celebrate, I was in my hospital room and my babies in the NICU. I was going to get to go home in a couple days, but not with my babies. When I returned to my room from the NICU, I noticed streamers on the outside of my hospital room. When I opened the door my whole room was decorated! It was so colorful and uplifting! And who would you know was behind this?? Nicki! She even threw in some office decorations because she and my husband had talked about our love for the show! Nicki went above and beyond. She is an EXTRAORDINARY nurse. She is an asset to Stormont. She made an upsetting situation bearable. When I think about my birthday experience, she is definitely a light.

***

Nicki was my labor and delivery nurse just a short time ago. I cannot say enough great things about her. I originally came in for an induction, but once we realized one of the twins was breech, I opted for a C-section. While waiting to go back for the C-section, Nicki made sure we were all comfortable, checked on us several times, and even visited with us like she'd known us forever! When I went back for the C-section, she stood right in front of me while I received my spinal block, which was comforting as I was extremely nervous! She talked me through the whole process. During the C-section, she kept me up to date on what was happening on the other side of the drape and made sure that there were plenty of pictures taken on the most important day of my husband and I's life this far. While in the recovery room, I could tell that she was concerned as I began to have complications, but I could tell that she was confident in her skills and that made me feel like I was going to be okay. She was an awesome advocate for me when she knew additional interventions were necessary. To top it off, she even came to check on us a few days later while we were still in the hospital!

If there was a nurse I would recommend over and over-it would be her! I am so thankful for her and everything that she did for me and my little family!