July 2010
Carmen
Rivera
,
RN
NU 3C
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
Houston
,
TX
United States

 

 

 

Carmen Rivera, RN on Nursing Unit 3C exemplifies her roles as a nurse by her true desire in helping others and by her contribution to the Veterans, families and the nursing staff. First and foremost – She wants to help people.
She has been consistent about making sure the patients as well as employees including doctors receive their flu shots. Those patients that are not sure if they want a flu shot is re-evaluated to see if they have changed their minds.
From the time I came to Nursing Unit 3C, Carmen Rivera has exhibited a sincere approach to the Jean Watson’s theory in caring. She exemplifies her roles as a nurse by her true desire in helping others and by her contribution to the patients as well as the nursing staff. It takes a special person with compassion to make discharge calls to patients that may have had a bad experience in the hospital, or those whose love ones have expired. The compassion and empathy can be heard in her voice. Her voice is soft and I have never heard her get loud or inappropriate to the veterans or family. I overheard a call she made to a patient and the wife answered the phone to say the patient had just expired. The way she handled that call was truly amazing. I knew the patient well and he wanted to go home with his wife and "die at home". This was an amazing couple with such compassionate for each other. He wanted his wife and family to be with him at home and not in a hospital bed.
Carmen is definitely someone I would want to hear from if I had questions or problems after being discharged.
She treats others with respect and dignity at all times. I have noticed that she helps people when they have questions, even if it means that’s she has to work a little later because of it.