Mari Portillo
May 2017
Mari
Portillo
,
RN, BSN
Med/Surg/Ortho
PIH Health Hospital - Downey
Downey
,
CA
United States

 

 

 

I commend and thank Mari for the care she provided me during my two-day hospital stay. In my opinion, she is an exemplary nurse. She was professional and efficient in her job duties, but what impressed me the most was her compassion. Mari displayed kindness through word and action. Her demeanor conveyed to me that I was in good hands. She was like a ray of sunshine to me as I recovered from major surgery. My overall opinion of Mari is that nursing was a calling, not just a job.
The first time I met Mari, I was laid up in bed, fresh off the operating table. She was coming to check up on me. I felt weak, vulnerable, and unable to fend for myself, while at the same time, my abdomen felt raw and bruised so it was nice to have this smiling, young lady look in on me. After introducing herself, she went about her job duties. She made sure all my attachments to monitors and devices via wires, a needle, and tubes were working well and secure. Then as gently as she could, she made me as comfortable as I could get.
My first impression of Mari was that she was professional, knowledgeable, efficient, charming, and delightful. However, what stuck with me the most was her kindness. At the end of the shift, Mari said that she would be back the next day to check on me. It made me feel like God was looking after me, and I looked forward to seeing her soon. The next day, by the time Mari started her shift, I was "wireless;" no longer attached to wires, a needle, or a tube, and I could move more freely, although still sore. Ever so gently, I was helped to the bathroom whenever I needed and took in a few walks to stimulate blood circulation in my legs. As the day came to a close, I was amazed by her work ethic and kindness. The following morning, I was discharged; it was Mari's day off. We each went our separate ways.To her, I was just another patient, not knowing what an impact she had on me. But from my perspective, she was truly a blessing those two days.