Manuela Bustamante
December 2020
Manuela
Bustamante
,
BSN, RN
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
Children's Hospital Colorado
She immediately went to work, organizing the room, bathing R, changing his sheets, giving him a shampoo and a scalp massage, and talking to him with an upbeat positive attitude. Manuela was the change agent that R needed.
I just wanted you to know what a "GEM" you have in Manuela Bustamante. Our son R, Age 14, was admitted to the ICU on Friday due to sepsis from MSSA and osteomyelitis (Manuela was there to receive him at 1:30 am); he was then intubated later that evening, and once again Manuela was there through a very tough intubation process. She was a calming force in a very tumultuous time; his intubation was not an easy one — he actually dropped below 10% saturation for several minutes. She made sure the room and R were returned to peace before she came and got me from the waiting room. While I was incredibly impatient to get to his side, I now appreciate what she did for both of us.
Manuela was then again his nurse on Monday night, and as she was leaving shift, it was expected that R was going to be extubated; as all signs pointed in that direction. On Tuesday, about a half-hour prior to extubation his fever spiked to 105 and remained there for the majority of the day. It was an incredibly rough day. It was quickly becoming his roughest day yet. Manuela further illustrated her commitment to R and patient care by choosing to return to work when offered to have a night off due to a staffing surplus. Manuela returned for that night shift; she went up and put her hand on R's chest and said, "Hey R, I"M BACK and we are going to turn things around and get you off this tube!" HIS FACE LIT UP! She immediately went to work, organizing the room, bathing R, changing his sheets, giving him a shampoo and a scalp massage, and talking to him with an upbeat positive attitude. Manuela was the change agent that R needed. And guess what, overnight his fever went to 98.5! I firmly believe she was the angel that he needed during his darkest time.
Manuela's work ethic and upbeat attitude and the way she interacts with her patients make her a truly special nurse. Manuela is/was such a blessing and words do not adequately express our gratitude for her. I firmly believe, if it wasn't for Manuela, we would not be where we are today. Currently, we are still on the 9th floor (not completely out of the woods yet); but our finish line is in sight. We have been here now 11 days, never leaving R's side, and she is by far THE BEST nurse we have had! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Manuela was then again his nurse on Monday night, and as she was leaving shift, it was expected that R was going to be extubated; as all signs pointed in that direction. On Tuesday, about a half-hour prior to extubation his fever spiked to 105 and remained there for the majority of the day. It was an incredibly rough day. It was quickly becoming his roughest day yet. Manuela further illustrated her commitment to R and patient care by choosing to return to work when offered to have a night off due to a staffing surplus. Manuela returned for that night shift; she went up and put her hand on R's chest and said, "Hey R, I"M BACK and we are going to turn things around and get you off this tube!" HIS FACE LIT UP! She immediately went to work, organizing the room, bathing R, changing his sheets, giving him a shampoo and a scalp massage, and talking to him with an upbeat positive attitude. Manuela was the change agent that R needed. And guess what, overnight his fever went to 98.5! I firmly believe she was the angel that he needed during his darkest time.
Manuela's work ethic and upbeat attitude and the way she interacts with her patients make her a truly special nurse. Manuela is/was such a blessing and words do not adequately express our gratitude for her. I firmly believe, if it wasn't for Manuela, we would not be where we are today. Currently, we are still on the 9th floor (not completely out of the woods yet); but our finish line is in sight. We have been here now 11 days, never leaving R's side, and she is by far THE BEST nurse we have had! Thank you, thank you, thank you!