From delivering puppies to delivering babies, being a nurse was just her calling

When Bailee Jones, RN, labor and delivery nurse at MultiCare Auburn Medical Center, was in the eighth grade, her family’s two dogs were about to become mothers. As the family tells it, young Bailee researched everything about doggie motherhood, including gestation periods, birthing processes and what pet owners needed to have on hand during the big event.

Bailee had everything ready. In the end, the two dog moms gave birth to 15 puppies.

“I had a stethoscope and everything,” Jones said. “I even revived one puppy. That one is now with a friend of mine. I got them all adopted.”

Bailee knew then she wanted to be a veterinarian — at least until she came to a big realization.

“I want people to talk to me,” she said. “You can have meaningful relationships with mothers and children.”

After high school, she enrolled in nursing school at Washington State University.

“In nursing school, I immediately found my people,” she said.

Resiliency and empathy: It runs in the family

Several years ago, tragedy struck the Jones’ extended family after a car accident. Close cousins — children — died. Jones said the women in the family offered strong support and showed a resiliency during the grieving period.

“It showed me how strong women are, and it made me realize I wanted to be in women’s health care,” she said. “Women are so resilient. Being in labor and giving birth — it’s admirable. It shows a strength of what a woman gives every day. It breathes life into me.”

Experiencing those tragic events in her past helped Jones be a better nurse, she said.

“I have so much more empathy,” she said. “It’s a moment where someone is there for you. When you can’t see the light, you need someone there to show you how to breathe again. You have to be open and vulnerable with them. I love everything about it, even the bad days,”

Caregiving is also a family calling, it seems. Bailee’s dad, Scott, is a firefighter; her mom, Sherri, is a social worker; her sister Kiah is a pediatrician; and her sister Skylar is a special education teacher.

“She’s amazing. She has been such a caring and nurturing person since she was little,” Jones’ mom said. “Being a nurse was just her calling. We’re so proud of her.”

Helping first-time parents navigate the unexpected

Jones was recognized in May 2021 with the DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses. The DAISY Award is a program created by the DAISY Foundation to provide on-going recognition of the skill and compassion nurses provide to patients and families at partnering health care organizations.

Nurses are nominated for this award by patients and families.

“Bailee was so helpful to us as first-time parents navigating the unexpected, with jaundice and the first few days of life,” wrote her nominator, Kelly Hansen. “She was very caring toward us and our son and was always friendly when we had questions. She kept us in the know of what was going on and what to expect.”

Hansen wrote about how she learned she and baby Ronald were finally be able to go home.

When the final test came back clear, Jones came into Hansen’s room playing “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang. “Celebrate good times, come on!”

“It was such a great way to celebrate with us and make it a unique experience,” Hansen said. “Bailee did a phenomenal job. She helped every step of the way.”

The DAISY Award is presented at hospitals across MultiCare, and honors licensed nursing professionals in more than 2,000 health care facilities worldwide for outstanding patient care, clinical skills and extraordinary compassion in nursing.