Rajesh Kumar, senior nuclear medicine technologist on the Galveston Campus, was recognized by a patient’s family member for providing a memorable patient experience. The daughter of the patient submitted the following:
“We checked in at the desk and a few moments later, Rajesh Kumar arrived to take my mother to testing. He was so reassuring with my mother that she again felt at ease. After testing, my mother looked so relaxed. She explained to me how Raj had taken such good care of her. After he gave her the dye for her scan, he put her in a quiet room and brought her a warm blanket. My mother said this was just what she needed to unwind from her drive down to Galveston. She showed me a business card that Raj had given her and told me that he let her know to call him if she had any questions. He had personalized his card by writing his name and number on it so that it could be easily read—a small gesture that made a big impact!”
Chloe Cecilia, registered nurse in the Neurosciences Critical Care Unit on the Galveston Campus, was recognized for the compassionate care she delivers each day and for her uplifting demeanor. Every month, the Neurosciences Critical Care Unit holds an Employee of the Month drawing. Chloe places comment cards in the box for her colleagues to thank them for the smallest or the biggest thing they have done, or simply because she felt like telling them thank you for who they are. When the cards were collected recently, there was a handwritten letter in the box from a patient’s family member about Chloe.
“Chloe Cecilia was one of the nurses assigned to care for my sister in the intensive care unit. We were blessed to have this wonderful caring and professional nurse for three days during our time here. Chloe exhibited a great deal of empathy, which was a welcome relief during this very difficult process. Chloe has always been upbeat and positive, and there has never been a time that I felt she was not sincere in her interactions with my sister or me. Chloe has always responded quickly to my requests and concerns. It was a blessing to have met Chloe.”
Karen Baires, registered nurse in Internal Medicine on the Galveston Campus, was recognized for Best Care because she always goes above and beyond when it comes to patient care needs and being a strong team member. The following was submitted by one of Karen’s colleagues:
“One day a young adult female was admitted who also happened to be homeless. The patient was tearful and very concerned about being discharged because she had no appropriate clothes or shoes, and the weather at the time had been cold (she had been taken from a friend’s home by EMS and now had only paper scrubs). Karen reassured her that we would do all we could to ensure she didn’t have to leave without appropriate clothing. That night, Karen returned to work with a bag filled with appropriately sized clothes including a sweater and a pair of tennis shoes for the patient, who through tears explained with gratitude that this was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her.
This, along with countless other sweet gestures of kindness to many patients, places Karen in the realm of nurses that are truly called to this profession. As an excellent team member, she is always ready and willing to help any colleague with any task without hesitation. I most frequently see her as the one who is willing to help others on the team. Her advocacy and skills are constantly on display as she seeks ways to make her patients comfortable and helps move them closer to wellness.”