In nursing, empathy is essential—but for Rachel Stewart, BSN, RN, empathy comes with a lived perspective that few can match.
In 2020, Stewart, a nursing student preparing for finals, was suddenly faced with an unexpected medical crisis that changed her life in an instant. Rushed to the hospital with internal bleeding and a collapsed lung, she was diagnosed with a massive spinal nerve tumor that had invaded her lung and spine. A procedure to cut off the tumor’s blood supply was necessary to save her life—but it came with a devastating complication: the blood flow to her spinal cord was severed, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down with a T4 spinal cord injury.
What followed was a grueling journey of rehabilitation, resilience, and rediscovery. Stewart had to pause nursing school to focus on healing. She learned to navigate life in a wheelchair, re-learned everyday tasks, and, through tireless therapy, eventually began walking again. But even in her most difficult moments, Stewart never gave up on her dream of becoming a nurse.
Key to her perseverance was the support of Col. (Ret.) Robert Harmon, DNP, Assistant Clinical Professor at the Sam Houston State University School of Nursing. Dr. Harmon—who also lives with a spinal cord injury—became an influential mentor and role model. His example showed Stewart that a spinal cord injury didn’t have to end a nursing career. Instead, it could strengthen it.
Stewart returned to nursing school, completed her degree, and now works as a nurse (BSN, RN) at TIRR Memorial Hermann, one of the nation’s top rehabilitation hospitals. Her focus? Patients with spinal cord injuries—the very condition she experienced firsthand.
That experience has become her greatest strength. “It’s one thing to empathize,” Stewart says. “It’s another to truly know what they’re feeling.”
Her patients don’t just receive care—they receive validation, encouragement, and proof that life after a spinal cord injury can be full of hope and healing. Stewart meets them not just as a nurse but as someone who has lived through their fears and fought through them.
Every day, Stewart brings unparalleled compassion, clinical skill, and authenticity to her role. She shows patients what’s possible—and reminds the entire profession what nursing can truly mean.
For her resilience, her commitment, and her transformative impact on patients and peers alike, we’re honored to name Rachel Stewart, BSN, RN, the Nurse of the Week.
Nominate a Nurse of the Week! Every Wednesday, DailyNurse.com features a nurse making a difference in the lives of their patients, students, and colleagues. We encourage you to nominate a nurse who has impacted your life as the next Nurse of the Week, and we’ll feature them online and in our weekly newsletter.
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