EXEMPLARY PRACTICE “She never left our side.” WELLSTAR SPALDING MEDICAL CENTER Spalding nurse helps family navigate the unimaginable, showing a level of compassion and respect that will never be forgotten.
Friday, March 17, 2023, was the hardest day Christen and Will will ever know. Six hours and 41 minutes after saying hello to their newborn, Elizabeth “Ellie” Jane, they had to say goodbye. Many people supported Christen, Will and their family, but none more than Spalding Labor and Delivery nurse Cierra Ridgeway, RN. Christen had met Cierra years before when both were nurses in the Spalding ICU. About halfway through the pregnancy, the couple learned that their baby had multiple rare, life-ending cardiac issues. Christen immediately started talking to Cierra about what delivery day would look like.
Their goal was for Ellie to know only love for the few minutes she was expected to live. As Christen put it, “God gave us six hours and 41 minutes to love on sweet Ellie Jane, to hold her and memorize every detail of her precious nose, lips, fingers and toes.” Cierra never left their side, honoring every request, grieving with them and taking photos and videos. After Ellie passed, Cierra lovingly bathed her and took footprints for the family to cherish. Christen adds, “The respect and compassion she showed us will live in our hearts, along with our memories of Ellie, forever.” n
“Supporting this family through the birth of Ellie Jane, humbled me and changed who I am forever. They are etched into my heart forever, and I am just grateful I was able to have a meaningful purpose in their journey.” Cierra Ridgeway, RN | Labor and Delivery
9 | 2024 NURSING REPORT
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