March 2021
Karla
Torres
,
BSN, RN
NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
South Texas Health System McAllen
McAllen
,
TX
On the day of discharge after 67 days in the NICU, Karla came in on her day off to send well wishes.
I write this nomination not only as a fellow nurse and employee of STHS McAllen, but as a patient and a patient's mother.
It is always difficult to be on the patient side of the situation, but there are certain nurses who make the situation a little less difficult. No mother ever imagines delivering a premature baby who is completely helpless and is relying on medication, machines, and the care of nurses to help him fight every day. The first three weeks that my baby was in the NICU were extremely hard on my entire family including my young sons at home. We had not been able to celebrate one of their birthdays as the baby had been in the NICU and we spent hours every day there since his birth.
One day I walked into the NICU and a nurse named Karla had been assigned to my baby boy. She was very friendly and welcoming as soon as I walked into the department. She wanted to make sure I was comfortable while visiting and provided me with a detailed update on his condition. She took the time to sit with me and provide support, reassurance, advice, and encouragement. I had told her about my other son's birthday and how we had not had an opportunity to celebrate him.
During our conversation, she made me feel hopeful about the situation we were going through and encouraged me to celebrate the good times with my family. I watched her care for my baby, and I felt calm, as I knew she was caring for him like he was her own family. I saw the way she cared for other babies on the unit, and she treated them all with the same compassion, care, and love.
The following weekend we celebrated my son's birthday at home and felt good knowing that Karla was the one taking care of my baby in the NICU. She made the hard days easier and even when not assigned to my baby, she came to visit and check on him. On the day of discharge after 67 days in the NICU, she came in on her day off to send well wishes. She is truly a great nurse. She encompasses the qualities that make the best kind of nurse. She not only cares for her patients but also for the parents and always has a positive outlook with a smile. She had made an impact on our lives and we will never forget the care and support she provided to us during one of the most difficult times in our lives.
It is always difficult to be on the patient side of the situation, but there are certain nurses who make the situation a little less difficult. No mother ever imagines delivering a premature baby who is completely helpless and is relying on medication, machines, and the care of nurses to help him fight every day. The first three weeks that my baby was in the NICU were extremely hard on my entire family including my young sons at home. We had not been able to celebrate one of their birthdays as the baby had been in the NICU and we spent hours every day there since his birth.
One day I walked into the NICU and a nurse named Karla had been assigned to my baby boy. She was very friendly and welcoming as soon as I walked into the department. She wanted to make sure I was comfortable while visiting and provided me with a detailed update on his condition. She took the time to sit with me and provide support, reassurance, advice, and encouragement. I had told her about my other son's birthday and how we had not had an opportunity to celebrate him.
During our conversation, she made me feel hopeful about the situation we were going through and encouraged me to celebrate the good times with my family. I watched her care for my baby, and I felt calm, as I knew she was caring for him like he was her own family. I saw the way she cared for other babies on the unit, and she treated them all with the same compassion, care, and love.
The following weekend we celebrated my son's birthday at home and felt good knowing that Karla was the one taking care of my baby in the NICU. She made the hard days easier and even when not assigned to my baby, she came to visit and check on him. On the day of discharge after 67 days in the NICU, she came in on her day off to send well wishes. She is truly a great nurse. She encompasses the qualities that make the best kind of nurse. She not only cares for her patients but also for the parents and always has a positive outlook with a smile. She had made an impact on our lives and we will never forget the care and support she provided to us during one of the most difficult times in our lives.