Jennifer Alvarez
October 2019
Jennifer
L. Alvarez
,
RN, BSN
PICU
The Children's Hospital of San Antonio
San Antonio
,
TX
United States
It has taken me a while to be able to sit and write this nomination, but about 4 weeks ago I was privileged to witness one of my coworkers, Jennifer Alvarez, go to battle for a baby we had admitted the night before and advocate to the highest levels to ensure this baby's safety when it seemed all outside systems that should have been in place were not working in the ways in which they should. I have worked with Jennifer since I started here last January, and this day, in particular, I could not have been prouder to be beside her as her coworker and friend.
You see, in the Pediatric ICU world, we witness things that the rest of the world doesn't have to see, that they shouldn't have to see, and in all fairness that we shouldn't have to see. The reality with which we live in is just different, and that is okay. We choose this work, we choose to serve in this way and on that day Jenn was truly living out the mission of CHRISTUS and then some. I cannot go into details about the case, or even how she advocated because of privacy, but I will say this: she didn't eat, she didn't stop to chart, she didn't use the restroom and she did not stop until the proper plan was set into place for that sweet baby entrusted into her care. I sat beside her with almost every phone call she made absolutely in awe. That baby was here in our ICU with nobody else in the world to advocate for them, fully dependent on this one incredible nurse who went above and beyond what was required of her so that this baby could know that they were safe. I quite literally watched Jennifer be the hands and feet of Jesus caring for His child in the biggest of ways. She stared wall after wall in the face and meticulously broke them down for this baby. I was truly honored to sit alongside her and witness her fierce advocacy for this baby on this day. I went home the night after that shift humbled. Humbled to work alongside nurses like Jennifer who will quite literally do everything in their power to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves and humbled to witness the incredible care that she provided this little one when they needed it most.
You see, in the Pediatric ICU world, we witness things that the rest of the world doesn't have to see, that they shouldn't have to see, and in all fairness that we shouldn't have to see. The reality with which we live in is just different, and that is okay. We choose this work, we choose to serve in this way and on that day Jenn was truly living out the mission of CHRISTUS and then some. I cannot go into details about the case, or even how she advocated because of privacy, but I will say this: she didn't eat, she didn't stop to chart, she didn't use the restroom and she did not stop until the proper plan was set into place for that sweet baby entrusted into her care. I sat beside her with almost every phone call she made absolutely in awe. That baby was here in our ICU with nobody else in the world to advocate for them, fully dependent on this one incredible nurse who went above and beyond what was required of her so that this baby could know that they were safe. I quite literally watched Jennifer be the hands and feet of Jesus caring for His child in the biggest of ways. She stared wall after wall in the face and meticulously broke them down for this baby. I was truly honored to sit alongside her and witness her fierce advocacy for this baby on this day. I went home the night after that shift humbled. Humbled to work alongside nurses like Jennifer who will quite literally do everything in their power to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves and humbled to witness the incredible care that she provided this little one when they needed it most.