Leonardo Buentello
May 2023
Leonardo
Buentello
,
RN
DaVita Morgan Avenue Dialysis
Corpus Christi
,
TX
United States
When Corpus Christi was impacted by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Leo volunteered to remain behind to ensure that all patients were accounted for and to make arrangements for patients to dialyze at available clinics.
Through the DAISY Award, we seek to honor those who take routine nursing care in a common setting and transform it into something extraordinary; into something that resonates beyond our clinics and into the homes of our patients and their families. Leo Buentello leverages his deep wealth of clinical knowledge and tremendous compassion to serve as the catalyst for such transformation within our organization. Leo developed his dialysis skill set over a 13-year tenure as a PCT, before completing school and promoting to an RN role in 2020, then moving to his current role as Clinical Coordinator.
On countless occasions Leo has demonstrated that he is committed to not only meeting the expectations of the clinic coordinator role, but to making a difference in the lives of his patients regardless of the circumstance. When Corpus Christi was impacted by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Leo volunteered to remain behind to ensure that all patients were accounted for and to make arrangements for patients to dialyze at available clinics.
When Winter Storm Uri hit Texas in 2021 and interrupted the entire municipal water and power supply, many of our clinics were rendered inoperable. Again, Leo remained committed to staying at his clinic to start providing patient treatment the moment that it was possible, also making arrangements for patients at other clinics in the area to travel to his clinic to receive treatment.
When state surveyors visited the Morgan clinic in March of 2023, both Leo’s FA and ROD were working in other areas and not immediately available to meet with the surveyor. Instead of deflecting responsibility, Leo took the lead on the survey, he addressed all of the surveyor's needs, provided all documentation, and within 1 hour they departed the facility without identifying a single deficiency.
These are just a few examples of Leo’s direct impact on his patients and his clinic. The true influence Leo has had on the organization, however, cannot be quantified. If asked, Leo would assuredly express that he has ‘only’ been doing his job these last 16 years. It is, however, nurses like Leo who compel us to see the deeper meaning in the work we do each day. Leo’s presence reminds us that the power to ignite change resides in each of us, and thus inspires us to reach for the apex of our collective abilities.
On countless occasions Leo has demonstrated that he is committed to not only meeting the expectations of the clinic coordinator role, but to making a difference in the lives of his patients regardless of the circumstance. When Corpus Christi was impacted by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, Leo volunteered to remain behind to ensure that all patients were accounted for and to make arrangements for patients to dialyze at available clinics.
When Winter Storm Uri hit Texas in 2021 and interrupted the entire municipal water and power supply, many of our clinics were rendered inoperable. Again, Leo remained committed to staying at his clinic to start providing patient treatment the moment that it was possible, also making arrangements for patients at other clinics in the area to travel to his clinic to receive treatment.
When state surveyors visited the Morgan clinic in March of 2023, both Leo’s FA and ROD were working in other areas and not immediately available to meet with the surveyor. Instead of deflecting responsibility, Leo took the lead on the survey, he addressed all of the surveyor's needs, provided all documentation, and within 1 hour they departed the facility without identifying a single deficiency.
These are just a few examples of Leo’s direct impact on his patients and his clinic. The true influence Leo has had on the organization, however, cannot be quantified. If asked, Leo would assuredly express that he has ‘only’ been doing his job these last 16 years. It is, however, nurses like Leo who compel us to see the deeper meaning in the work we do each day. Leo’s presence reminds us that the power to ignite change resides in each of us, and thus inspires us to reach for the apex of our collective abilities.