Karen Kelly, CCU Director. Divinia Espiritu, Honoree, Kerin Mase CNO
May 2014
Divinia
Espiritu
,
RN, BSN
Critical Care Unit
Marian Regional Medical Center
Santa Maria
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

I know all the CCU nurses would agree that Divinia Espiritu has a special connection with her patients and their families, with her nursing colleagues, doctors and staff. She is an expert nurse. She is the IV Start Queen, and most staff in the hospital know that. They call her for help and she comes running. She is caring to her patients, and provides everything they need in a nurturing, knowledgeable and professional manner. Her own life experiences have provided her with empathy and compassion for those who are ill. She has worked at MRMC for 30 plus years and still maintains a positive attitude. She has leadership skills and demonstrates those every day in her Assistant Nurse Manager role in the Critical Care Unit. Even when she is Shift Leading, and doesn't have any patients, she is in the patients rooms helping her staff with the sickest patients.

Divinia is the personification of an extraordinary, compassionate nurse, in all aspects of her nursing. She is also a natural mentor. All the new nurses strive to be as knowledgeable as she is. Even seasoned colleagues and doctors seek her medical and nursing knowledge. She gives her knowledge freely to her colleagues, patients and families.

A common situation where Divinia shines is when she stands next to her colleagues and doctors at the bedside of the sickest patients. She offers support to the staff and to the patients and families. I have seen her at work in many Code Blues in CCU and out on the other units because she is on the Code Blue Team. Staff and doctors look up to her because she is a commanding presence, with obvious knowledge, expertise and experience. She is highly known and respected by the entire staff. Another situation where Divinia shines, as I've mentioned earlier, is when she is called by staff on other units in the hospital to come and try her expert IV skills. She has the magic touch. She reassures patients and is honest about whether she thinks she can start their IV after many others have tried and failed. She has confidence and maintains a caring attitude while also demonstrating professionalism.