September 2020
Roxanna
Gonzalez
,
RN
Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Memorial Hospital West
Pembroke Pines
,
FL
United States
In the current COVID surge in South Florida, patients scheduled for surgery must enter the hospital alone, without family members or visitors. The entire process of hospitalization, surgery, and recovery is most frightening in normal times but much worse in COVID times. When the patient was "waking up" from anesthesia, the first thing she remembers is the gentle and calm behavior of Roxanna Gonzalez, PACU nurse. Roxanna spoke in a calm voice, explaining all details, all vital signs, all information that the patient needed. After discharge, the patient wrote a letter to the administration to share her respect and praise of Roxanna Gonzalez.