Every once in a while you have the luxury of working with a colleague that changes the landscape of the department with which you work. Someone that is not only clinically excellent but also possesses the emotional intelligence to provide patient care and assist others with humility, empathy, and professionalism. Alex Gonzales is that colleague.
Alex is always willing to take on difficult assignments and is the first to lend a hand in any and all situations whether within or outside his job description. It's the last part of that statement that places use all here today. It's Alex's desire to understand the needs within a situation or process and help in any way possible, not only for improved patient care and outcomes but also for the mental health of his perioperative colleagues.
Personally, I've witnessed Alex mopping a floor to expedite operating room turnover and later identifying and treating intra-op dysthymia, ultimately saving a patient's life, all in the same day. There are many other examples. It comes as no surprise that others have also noticed and subsequently nominated Alex for the DAISY award. Our Anesthesia department and Methodist Hospital are very fortunate to work with Alex.
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Alex is a great leader and always goes above and beyond for staff and patients and brightens peoples' day with his bubbly personality. Recently the Endoscopy department had a couple of ERCP's, one of which was a MICU patient who was very sick, and he assisted the nurse in positioning the patient as well as getting supplies for Dr. A that he needed like a clamp and an extra strap for the Fluro table from the OR. He always helps expedite things and does so with a positive attitude.