April 2024
Virgie
Guarderas
,
RN
3 Tower
USC Arcadia Hospital
Azusa
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

My dad didn't have much of an appetite, but Virgie knew what to do.
Virgie took excellent care of my father and listened to his stories over and over. He's a proud man, and Virgie helped him maintain his dignity. One evening, my mom and I visited my dad. Virgie stopped by several times to check-in. My dad didn't have much of an appetite, but Virgie knew what to do. She made a deal with him to eat part of his meal. To our surprise, he did it! We were fortunate to get a few minutes of her time. She told us about her siblings, many of whom are nurses, too. My dad told her his stories (again). She had probably heard them a million times already but listened like it was the first time. It takes a special nurse to deal with elderly patients with physical and cognitive issues. Virgie has a patient demeanor.