Maya Ibarlucea
July 2021
Maya
Ibarlucea
,
ADN, RN
Surgery Unit 5A
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital
Virginia Beach
,
VA
United States
Maya's empathy was amazing - I could tell she felt for me and understood what I was talking about.
I had surgery at SPAH in 2020 and was so well cared for by everyone. I had to have a repeat surgery in 2021 and had a very different experience when I got to the floor. My surgeon ordered a different pain killer (because of the complications last time) and it was not working. Additionally, the machine that inflated the things on my legs to prevent blood clots was making a terrible noise. Maya came on duty and was assigned as my nurse. The first thing she did was LISTEN to me about my pain. Her empathy was amazing - I could tell she felt for me and understood what I was talking about. She immediately contacted the doctor on duty, advised him what was going on, and got my medicine changed. Next, she heard the "anti-blood clot machine" and immediately validated the sound I was hearing, she said she was going to take care of it and she did. I was dismayed and underwhelmed until Maya came on shift. She truly listened to me, understood what I was going through, and fixed it. Maya also had several patients, but she made me feel like I was the only one. That is a rare quality that Maya had. She not only made me feel like I was her only patient (while also caring for her other patients), but she also spent time talking to me when I was having some anxiety about my recent surgery. Maya is SO comforting!!! She gets stuff done for her patients.