DAISY Winner: Cheryl, Labor and Delivery

Nomination

Cheryl Tucker is a labor and delivery nurse with decades of experience. She is compassionate with patients even when she is vigilant about every detail of their care. She is inquisitive with providers. “Why did you order that medication or test?” “Do you want to add this medication or should we get this consult? ”Always thinking of the patients’ best interest. She is an intelligent, efficient and kind role model to her colleagues.

All of this makes Cheryl an incredible nurse, but on one night in particular she exhibited exceptional care. There was a fetal heart rate tracing I was watching in a room. During our huddle review of all of the patients, there was a different patient in a different who was doing a TOLAC (trial of labor after c-section). She was doing well and her fetal heart was very reassuring.

I was in my call room, having a short rest and still watching tracings on airstrip. I was called for an emergency c-section. I assumed it was the patient in the first room, but I was told it was the patient in the secnd. As soon as I knew it was the patient who was doing a TOLAC, I thought this is going to be a uterine rupture of her old uterine scar.

I immediately went to the OR, and the fetal rate was still low. We splashed betadine on the lower abdomen. I put on a gown. The patient was put to sleep and I made an incision. When I entered the abdomen there was no uterine incision to make because the old uterine scar ruptured. The baby delivered with apgars of 8/9. The blood loss was 385 cc (the patient is at risk of hemorrhage when the old scar ruptured while she is pregnant).

When it was all over, I asked, what triggered someone to call an emergency c-section. The nurses were in awe of Cheryl. Her patient was doing well until suddenly the patient had a weird lower abdominal pain. Then the fetal heart showed minimal variability and the fetal heart rate started to drop. Cheryl intuitively knew this is a uterine rupture. She called the charge nurse to call anesthesia, the Ob Hospitalist and the NICU for a stat c-section.

By herself she made the decision to roll to the OR. By herself she rolled the patient to the OR. That night in one fell swoop Cheryl SAVED TWO LIVES. She did it as if it was just a typical day in the neighborhood. I do not have words to describe how deserving Cheryl is for a daisy award in honor of her dedication and level of service!