I walked into the hospital thinking I was going in for a day at work, but decided the better choice was to make a stop in the emergency department to get my electrolytes checked. I had previously been sick and had a visit to the ED the previous Sunday, and I could tell my calcium was low based on my symptoms. Not only was my calcium low, but it was also critically low, and I had to be admitted to the hospital.

Being a patient in my own place of work was an odd feeling, but the kindness and compassion shown by staff who knew me and cared about me made all of the difference.

Malayna was my nurse that day, and with her kind and calming presence, she made the visit one of a kind. A bit of a backstory - I met Malayna during COVID. I had been floated to the ED for a few hours to help with triage, and she showed me the ropes. She became an instant friend, and to this day, that experience with Malayla was the only experience I had with the ED. Fast forward a few years, and she was able to take care of me.

She explained everything to the full extent, made sure I knew what was going on, and helped me with any request I had. I was not thrilled to be admitted, so I requested to be on the unit I used to work on, and within 15 minutes, Malayna had a bed for me. I knew how bad things had been in the ED recently and expected to be boarded or to spend the day in the ED before moving upstairs, but Malayna made it clear she would take good care of me and find me a place to go. It brought tears to my eyes when I found out she made it happen and made it happen fast. She told me, “We take care of our people,” and she meant it.

She is a one-of-a-kind nurse, changing her patients’ lives, and mine, and I am so thankful she was the one to take care of me.