I was in distress when I arrived at the Emergency Room. Joel Alvarado was assigned as my nurse. He took over immediately and was confident and efficient. My wife and I were both quite anxious as I was having trouble breathing, and my abdomen, which had hurt for days, was feeling more distended and painful. Joel calmly went about taking vitals and asking questions. He was so calm that his effect helped us. My anxiety went way down. He explained each step that he took and kept us informed of what was coming next.

Although I had several interactions with others, Joel was the constant, and his calming presence was paramount to the chaos inside of me. I wanted to let someone know how important it is to feel listened to and validated. Unfortunately, I have been in my share of ERs over the years due to my health issues, but Joel made a huge impression on me and my wife because he seemed to focus on our mental anguish while doing a very professional job taking care of me.

I thank you for having him on staff, and I thank him for his empathy and caring.