November 2021
Natasha M
Mazboudi
,
BSN, RN
Acute Medical
MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center
Laguna Hills
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

On any shift, if you are looking for Natasha she is at the bedside of the most confused patient. If your patient is the sickest, she is by your side brainstorming with you to make sure the patient receives the best possible care.
Natasha has been an excellent nurse since she started as a new grad. During the peak of COVID, she has been picking up extra shifts to cover those days that we need help in the unit. Even now, she makes herself available when she can. She always tries her best to help patients and nurses. As a resource, she helps improve the oxygenation of COVID patients when they desaturate, helps calm confused patients, or sets limits with combative patients.

One very busy beginning of shift, when all the call lights or pulse ox were alarming, she went into each room to help the patients and assure their safety. She also goes out of her way to help with IV inserts. She wants to be involved during emergency situations and excelled to catch when COVID patients are crashing. She always wants to learn. I am really impressed with her bravery. Now, she is one of our unit's relief charges and I can see that she is doing such a great job. She gives her best and I feel very lucky to know her.

***

Where do I start? Natasha always gives 1000% in what she does. She likes to go above and beyond and volunteer for any difficult tasks. On any shift, if you are looking for Natasha she is at the bedside of the most confused patient. If your patient is the sickest, she is by your side brainstorming with you to make sure the patient receives the best possible care. You do not have to ask for help she just helps. I have seen Natasha round the unit constantly and she doesn't care if it is not her patient she will go to any room (isolation or not) to make sure all call lights are answered. I lost count of the number of falls she has prevented in doing this. She takes the time to talk to her patients and listen to their concerns. Many times, I have followed her run from the previous night and the patients confuse us. I do not mind when I am confused for Natasha because often patients have nothing but great things to say about her. Multiple patients say she brings them comfort, has such a positive attitude, and is very knowledgeable.

I remember an instance where my patient went into flash pulmonary edema. She comforted the patient who was severely short of breath. My patient was very anxious and refused to wear the bi-pap due to claustrophobia. I don't know what she said to the patient (since I was with the RRT RN and MD) but the patient complied and by shift change, the patient was able to have a simple face mask.

During this very difficult time, she finds the drive to selflessly pick up extra shifts. She doesn't do it for the incentive, she does it out of the goodness of her heart to help when we are short-staffed. She constantly sacrifices herself to stay on the covid unit knowing that other nurses wish to stay away. She likes to make everyone feel comfortable and supported.

I have not been a patient under her care myself, but I remember the night I did not feel so great. I felt so dizzy to the point where I wanted to faint. Natasha helped me take care of my full run of patients (on top of her full run of patients) since we were short-staffed that night, I was not able to go home. She checked up on me all night to make sure I was okay and even called me to make sure I got home safe. Like the Extraordinary Nurse she is, she even followed up with a text the next day to make sure everything was okay. She often lends her ears to you even if it is to vent. She encourages us and inspires us to do more. Thank you, Natasha, for everything that you do!