Alma Ruelas
August 2015
Alma
Ruelas
,
RN
Oncology
Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
Santa Rosa
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

Alma shows super human work every day she is here. She is always smiling and makes all of her patients feel special. She is fluent in Spanish and is a huge advocate for our Hispanic population. Many patients ask for her by name.

We have one younger patient that is married with small children. She is the patient's continued bright spot during her challenging journey. She has built a relationship with the whole family. Last Christmas, she delivered the gifts from our unit to the patient and her family. She continues to check in on the patient and their family when she isn't an inpatient. She advocates for the patient and her culture but is realistic with what we can do.

As oncology nurses we are privileged to assist and support people facing huge physical and emotional challenges through their cancer journey. Since we have longer contact with our patients than many other nursing specialties, we develop a depth of relationship that is quite special. She has given this family a gift they will never forget. During these difficult times, they have found a caregiver that has become a lifelong friend to them and role model to the children. When the patient went to another facility for a procedure, they contacted Alma to assist with the transfer back so they could be in her care.

She is truly an amazing caregiver and it's an honor to work with her. We all learn from her every day. Her heart is as big as her actions. She treats her patients as individuals-as real people first and patients second. Her genuine actions show that she carefully listens to them and works with them and not against them. She truly is an extraordinary nurse.