Compassionate care helps shape a new family’s first moments

The new dad was trying to comfort his baby just hours after the infant was born.

The arrival of a newborn is often a time of mixed emotions: joy, exhaustion and some apprehension, especially for first-time parents.

Thankfully, when this dad was feeling like a bystander who didn’t know how to care for his own baby, an experienced nurse stepped up to help.

With warmth and encouragement, Natasha Mondragon, a nurse with UCHealth Parkview Medical Center, gently showed the dad how to burp his baby. She tried different positions until pressure on the newborn’s belly elicited a burp. And both the dad and newborn instantly felt better.

“It might seem like a small thing, but in that moment, she wasn’t just teaching me a skill,” the father wrote when he nominated Mondragon for a prestigious DAISY award. “She was giving me confidence and inviting me to be a hands-on father from the very beginning.”

The DAISY Award is a global program that recognizes nurses for their exceptional skills, compassionate care and inspiring contributions to patients, colleagues and the nursing profession.

In a single moment, Mondragon made a huge difference, and the dad said that he provided her with a lasting gift of kindness that filled him with confidence.

Mondragon’s care extended far beyond clinical expertise. Over several days, she supported the mother and newborn daughter with quiet attentiveness that never felt intrusive. The family described her as a “quiet guardian,” always nearby, anticipating needs and offering comfort.

“The moment Natasha walked into our room, it felt like a wave of calm washed over the chaos and anxiety we were feeling as new parents,” the nomination reads. “We knew our tiny, fragile baby was in the most compassionate hands.”

After 26 years in nursing and 24 years in women’s services, Mondragon understands the importance of engaging every member of the family.

“Whether it’s a new dad or another family member, I really try to get them involved and let them know they have a part in this,” she said. “Every time I’m with a new family, I try to identify who will be the support person for mom and baby and really try to get them invested.”

What stood out most to the family was another simple but deeply meaningful act. Mondragon helped create a keepsake by capturing the baby’s tiny footprints on a card — turning a fleeting moment into a lifelong memory.

“Watching her carefully and patiently press our daughter’s tiny foot onto the paper, helping us capture that fleeting moment in time. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.”

To the family, Mondragon didn’t just care for a patient or a newborn. She saw a family in need of guidance, reassurance, and a little extra love.

Her recognition through the DAISY Award is a powerful reminder of the extraordinary impact nurses make every day.

“Nursery and special care nursery is my love, and my passion,” Mondragon said. “It’s absolutely the best job in the world. I feel so fortunate to be part of such a magical moment in human life.”