Being a leader is more than a title and a role. It is not forgetting how you felt on your very first day on the job and taking people under your wings and showing them, that they too will one day be able to fly. Staying humble, being consistent and fair, and looking at the glass half-full at all times may not be an easy task but the leader I will be writing about encompasses qualities that are nothing short of admirable. Greeting you with a gentle smile, no matter the chaos that may be ensuing in the background and keeping calm while navigating uncharted waters, this individual has been able to lead his team not only during the good times, but most importantly during the turmoil as well. Being a leader is not about the title, it is about what you do with the title for the better. It is being the example and being physically part of the team and being present to round with staff and patients and families, but also taking a team and opening a team or being charge nurse when his staff needs him.

A mentor to many, Peter has helped inspire and shape nurses both new and seasoned. Always having an open door policy and being an active listener, he goes out of his way to build rapport with his team. He checks in on the staff and often remembers the smallest details of each individual. I witnessed on one occasion when this leader heard after an orientation follow-up that one of the horizon nurses was having a challenge successfully completing a finger stick for a glucose check and iStat blood collection. He did not hesitate to reach out to the employee and show them step-by-step exactly how to do it and even offer some words of wisdom and tricks to be able to accomplish this on the first try. He then had a conversation with the employee and paired her with a buddy that gone through something similar, and to this day, I have seen the nurse continuously express her gratitude for his actions. This however, is a common occurrence for this leader, as he truly believes in people and makes sure they know he is in their corner.

The Covid-19 pandemic brought upon many changes and many uncertainties to say the least. Quick to adjust his sails, this leader took control of the situation and steered his team through one of the most challenging times in the history of the department. The unknowns were more than the knowns. The department he leads is often referred to as the “front-door” and the volume and series of events that ensued were very unpredictable. As if the pandemic was not chaotic enough, at one point he was the only manager leading and supporting one of the biggest units with the most staff members. Paving the way, he supported his team and helped nurture and build the new manager he mentored. During a very busy surge in late December, the new manager and him had been taking turns working 12-hour shifts on the floor and on one night, he showed up at 3:30 AM to relieve the new manager. He does not hesitate to jump in when his team needs him, but this leader not only shows up for his team but he also ensures patients are receiving amazing patient care by directly impacting and interacting with patients and families.

Fast-forward to this morning when this leader stood up from his desk after receiving a call from a patient’s mother he had helped just last weekend when she called him asking for help. The patient had been an ED patient last week and had to return to an outpatient office this morning. When the patient was here last week, the leader had provided the mom with his phone number and had offered his help should they ever need to return to the ED. To provide some background and without going into too much details, the mother had brought in her son due to a toothache. However, the patient is nonverbal and has a difficult time expressing his pain and needs. During his initial visit, the patient was very anxious and visibly in pain. With all the patience in the world, this leader was able to help the family and place them in a safer room for the patient so he wouldn’t hurt himself and would be able to receive the care he needed. It didn’t however end there; this morning like I mentioned, the leader went to the parking lot and met up with the mom and the patient and personally escorted them to their destination. He managed to help keep the patient calm and was able to give the outpatient office a heads-up and walk the mom through what she may expect and reassure her she was in good hands before leaving.

Overall,I nominated Peter not only for the above mentioned specifications but for being more than a leader. Peter Kevin Cruz is our Rock in the Emergency Department; he meets all the demands expected of a leader which include but aren’t limited to “provide a haven of safety for staff, both physically and emotionally, he ensures standards of quality patient care are maintained, ensure nurses have access to the technology and equipment they need – and the information, manage human and financial resources across staffing, supplies and more. He drives team development, resiliency, and competency, ensuring their team members are meaningful recognized for the work they do for patients and families and lastly he provides a setting where compassion is valued, and staff, in turn, treat patients and their families with deep humanity.”