Krystal Zuniga
September 2023
Krystal
Zuniga
,
BSN, RN
Telemetry - 6 West
Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center
Downey
,
CA
United States
Thanks to professionals like Krystal, our healthcare system is moving towards a more inclusive and patient-centered system, which this country is in dire need of.
Krystal was a godsend through what has been one of the most difficult weeks for my family. When my father fell ill unexpectedly, and we had to manage the shift from Urgent Care to Emergency and undergo a long wait for a bed to open up at the hospital, by the time he was finally admitted, we were wiped and without the slightest knowledge of what could be happening to my dad. Navigating the medical system is daunting for my elderly parents, immigrants whose primary language is not English. Krystal helped my dad, and mom, feel cared for. Her compassionate bedside care for my dad, a patient with early onset dementia, helped my mom feel calm as we waited for process after process after process.
My dad went from an ultrasound to an MRI to a CT Scan, and his ailment was still unanswered. As we waited for an endoscopic procedure that could only be done by a specialist and we were caught on a holiday weekend, the days got longer, but the nurse helped us stay patient and think positively. Something minor that no other nurse had offered was to allow my dad to get up and stretch his legs. She took the time to unhook him, and just that small gesture made the world for my dad, normally a very active guy who had already been attached to a bed for almost three days.
Krystal let us know she would have my dad ready to undergo the endoscopic procedure as soon as a window opened. Thanks to her follow-up we knew what to expect and we were grateful when my dad was able to get into the surgery room. Knowing my dad’s dementia would interfere with his communication with the doctor/surgeon, this nurse connected us with the surgical team, who explained every piece of the process so that we could translate and reassure my dad as he was ready to go under.
On more than one occasion, she brought her phone to us so that we could speak to the surgeon throughout the 4-hour long process. Living in a country where we don’t often highlight the importance of having bi-tri-multilingual skills, I want to shine a light on how much this helped us in our situation. For my parents to be able to communicate in their native language, they felt heard and understood. Too often they are made feel undervalued, and unprioritized but this nurse made them feel like her #1 patient. Thanks to professionals like Krystal, our healthcare system is moving towards a more inclusive and patient-centered system, which this country is in dire need of.
My dad went from an ultrasound to an MRI to a CT Scan, and his ailment was still unanswered. As we waited for an endoscopic procedure that could only be done by a specialist and we were caught on a holiday weekend, the days got longer, but the nurse helped us stay patient and think positively. Something minor that no other nurse had offered was to allow my dad to get up and stretch his legs. She took the time to unhook him, and just that small gesture made the world for my dad, normally a very active guy who had already been attached to a bed for almost three days.
Krystal let us know she would have my dad ready to undergo the endoscopic procedure as soon as a window opened. Thanks to her follow-up we knew what to expect and we were grateful when my dad was able to get into the surgery room. Knowing my dad’s dementia would interfere with his communication with the doctor/surgeon, this nurse connected us with the surgical team, who explained every piece of the process so that we could translate and reassure my dad as he was ready to go under.
On more than one occasion, she brought her phone to us so that we could speak to the surgeon throughout the 4-hour long process. Living in a country where we don’t often highlight the importance of having bi-tri-multilingual skills, I want to shine a light on how much this helped us in our situation. For my parents to be able to communicate in their native language, they felt heard and understood. Too often they are made feel undervalued, and unprioritized but this nurse made them feel like her #1 patient. Thanks to professionals like Krystal, our healthcare system is moving towards a more inclusive and patient-centered system, which this country is in dire need of.