Ms. Raquel is a dedicated staff who does her tasks with enthusiasm and willingness to share her knowledge and skills with other staff, especially with those who are new to the clinic. She is very persistent in achieving her job by extending her duty hours without asking for any compensation. She is a diligent and independent senior staff who could assume leadership in the absence of Unit Managers. She shows accountability and responsibility towards her patients, colleagues, superiors, and physicians.
There was an incident when she was assisting with one of our consultants in the clinic where almost all patients are diabetic. During the examination, suddenly, the patient felt drowsy and almost fell down from our slit lamp chair in the clinic. She immediately held the patient and assisted her to lie on the bed. She took the patient's vital signs and performed random blood sugar and offered some juice to drink and reassured the patient. Ms. Raquel closely monitored and stayed beside the patient until the patient recovered from hypoglycemia. After the patient regained her stability, she was informed by the consultant that the patient could go home. Ms. Raquel, voluntarily accompanied the patient to the Social Work Department to ensure the safety of the patient until the patient went home in good condition.
When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, most of our staff were pulled out to other hospitals in different areas and specialties. Ms. Raquel is one of the nurses who faced the big change and challenge in her career and profession. A change from her routine work to the new environment and different specialty beyond her expertise was a daunting challenge to now take care of positive COVID-19 patients.
Recently, her name was one among the nominated lists from NSO, and on that day when she knew that she would be assigned in Medical Tower. Instead of saying NO, she carried her anxieties and fears by accepting the challenge to go out of her comfort zone and accepted her assignment to take care of the patients in Trauma ICU. She composed herself selflessly and tirelessly and provide essential quality and critical care to individuals, even in the face of great peril, fear, uncertainty, and vulnerability. Nevertheless, she stands by her oath as a Nurse to serve humanities, especially in this difficult situation.
With the above characteristics of Ms. Raquel, I strongly believe that she deserves to be one of the Extraordinary Nurses in KSMC.