Just before my arrival, I had been told my water had broken and there was evidence of meconium, and I felt scared. When I realized I was about to embark on the journey to meet my daughter and arrived at the hospital, I had a whirlwind of emotions: excitement, anxiety, and a healthy dose of fear. The unknown felt overwhelming. The beeping monitors, the cold room, and the unfamiliar faces seemed to amplify the knot in my stomach.

That’s when my first L&D nurse walked in: Zara.

I knew I was in for the long haul, and since it was around 4 p.m., I only had a few hours left with her before her shift ended. From the moment she introduced herself, something shifted. She didn’t just check my chart and hook me up to monitors, she looked me in the eye, smiled, and made me feel like she was there for me, not just my vital signs or to complete a task on the EMR. She took her time checking the boxes on my chart, related to me by sharing her own life experiences, and within minutes, Zara, my husband, and I were laughing.

She had a way of making me feel like I wasn’t just her patient, I was a person in one of life’s most extraordinary moments. Zara has a beautiful soul, and no matter how many years of clinical experience or schooling, you can’t teach the compassion she has.

Thank you, Zara, for being a part of my daughter’s story of entering this world.