Compassion

Nora Flores
Transportation Driver, Nor-Lea Hospital District

Nominated by Laura Gryder | Navigation Coordinator We have a patient in the Nor-Lea Cancer Center  NLCC who was recently hospitalized for four weeks. He was discharged to a nursing home, and outpatient blood transfusions were coordinated with NLCC. These blood products are imperative for the patient’s diagnosis. If he does not receive them, we risk him becoming re-hospitalized, or worse.

I received a call from the patient’s spouse, who wanted “all the powers that be” made aware of their experience. Per the patient’s spouse, "We have always known what the cancer center represents to our loved one. Your entire team has always taken such great care of him and after recently being in another facility in Lubbock, we realized that the care he receives at Nor-Lea is not standard elsewhere.” The patient’s spouse continued, “Our family stayed with him throughout his entire stay in Lubbock, and we were pleased when we found out he was coming back to Lovington. Our family was able to return to their homes and continue work, knowing he would be in good hands with the staff at Nor-Lea.” When further detailing their experience, the spouse said, “Today, more than ever, it became evident how well he is cared for. The nursing facility he is currently staying at was unable to facilitate transport to Nor-Lea today for his blood transfusion. Knowing Nor-Lea offers transport services, I called Stephanie, and she graciously coordinated for someone to pick him up. “Before going to work, we went to the facility, dressed him, and had him ready for pick-up. However, when Nora arrived, he was undressed and back in bed, not ready for his ride. Nora went out of her way! She parked, went inside, got him dressed, loaded him up, and brought him to the cancer center.” She said. “We were unable to get him to his appointment ourselves, and the care Nora provided ensured he got what he needed. When she went above and beyond, she had no idea how critical this blood was for him. If he doesn’t get these transfusions, he could end up back in the hospital.-- We have always known how amazing the NLCC staff is, but to witness the transport team and the front desk working together today was truly remarkable.”

For context, we coordinate transport with numerous other services, including Medicaid. Standard protocol requires that the patient be ready and able to get themselves to the vehicle. If someone other than Nor-Lea had transported the patient today, they would not have done what Nora did.

Compassion

Pamela Welborn,
RN, Hobbs Medical Clinic

Nominated by Sandra Ponce | RN Pamela Welborn has demonstrated compassion time and time again. Just in the last month, she has assisted a patient in desperate need into skilled nursing home care.

This patient originally came to us from an out of town facility and appeared to be in good condition after suffering a stroke. Within months, however, she had lost a significant amount of weight and deteriorated in all aspects of health. On a Friday afternoon, it was discovered during an office visit that not only had her health declined, but she had also been living in a home with no utilities. Due to the condition of the home, her health was not well, resulting in swelling and infection. Her caregivers, who are also in need of mental health support, were unable to properly care for her. Pamela responded quickly and decisively. She immediately contacted the local liaison for nursing home placement, and together they were able to get the patient placed. The following Monday, another patient required nursing home placement. During that call, the liaison expressed his sincere gratitude for Pamela’s referral, calling it a “Christmas Miracle” and stated he had never been more grateful to help someone in such a state.

And just this week, Pamela once again assisted another patient in desperate need. She arranged for the patient to be seen, scanned, and transferred to another area for care. This patient had been diagnosed with cancer in November and had undergone surgery to remove the affected organ. The patient was unable to enjoy Christmas dinner due to new abdominal pain that sent her to the emergency room. The patient called on a Wednesday afternoon requesting a follow-up appointment, but the provider had already concluded his day. She lost 30 pounds between December 28th and January 8th. The patient was in a tearful, and fearful state but Pamela was able to reassure the patient that she would be taken care of the very next day when the provider returned. And she followed through—coordinating every necessary step to ensure the patient received care. Pamela is quiet and humble. She has been a nurse for over 20 years, and her compassion is both exceptional and admirable.

Accountability

Lea Grajiola RN, Extended Hours Clinic

Nominated by Laura Gryder | Navigation Coordinator A patient presented to our cancer center after being discharged from a facility in Lubbock. The family had hoped for home health to provide IV antibiotics three times a day, along with at-home oxygen after discharge. He was only supposed to come to Nor-Lea Cancer Center until those orders were processed. However, the discharge orders from the previous facility had not been completed. The patient was very frail and suffering from various conditions and he and his wife had to drive to our facility twice a day, once more in the middle of the night. Another facility directed that the patient’s provider manage all follow-up care and due to various circumstances, the orders remained pending. I reached out to the referral clerk to find out who was working on these orders and was connected to Leah, the nurse on staff in the Extended Hours Clinic. Leah and I reviewed the patient’s complex case and she immediately began taking action. She thoroughly reviewed the patient's chart to familiarize herself with his condition and when she found missing documentation that lacked the signatures needed to proceed, she advocated that the necessary paperwork be completed. Leah then contacted the home health agency to confirm that the orders were being processed and ensured that the patient’s oxygen orders were sent STAT to the durable medical equipment provider. Throughout the process, she kept in close communication with our office and the patient’s family so that everyone stayed informed.

Leah went above and beyond to ensure these orders were addressed, fully understanding it was in the best interest of the patient. I deeply appreciate all the work Leah did on this case and am proud to work alongside a nurse who is willing to step up, no matter the circumstance. Leah, you are truly an angel in scrubs!

Accountability

Nicole Rosas
Certified Phlebotomist, Laboratory

Nominated by Victoria Rowell | Laboratory Coordinator
 Recently, a patient's sibling was present while the patient was having labs drawn. During the visit, the sibling began choking on a piece of candy he had brought with him. Nicole immediately stepped in to help. Although an overhead page for assistance was made, additional assistance was unavailable. So, Nicole managed the situation entirely on her own.

Empowerment

Felix Gaytan
CT Technologist, Felix Gaytan

Nominated by Alyssa Byrd | Radiology Manager
We had a motor vehicle accident patient arrive through the Emergency Department. The ER provider ordered CT scans and plain films. While imagining the patient’s foot with diagnostic X-ray, Felix quickly noticed something concerning. He immediately called the Emergency Department to ask if he could perform a CT scan of the patient’s foot while the patient was still on the table.

Thanks to Felix’s quick thinking and expertise, the radiologist received the additional information needed to accurately diagnose the patient’s injuries without delay. His actions ensured that the patient received all necessary imaging during a single visit, avoiding the discomfort of being moved multiple times. Felix is incredibly knowledgeable in the field of radiology. His insight and decisive action resulted in faster care and more timely results for the patient. He demonstrated true empowerment by recognizing the need for additional imaging and taking the initiative to act in the patient’s best interest.

Empowerment

Leslie Goodrich
RN, Emergency Department

Nominated by Jenny Bridgforth | Risk Manager
I would like to nominate Leslie Goodrich for an iCARE award. She demonstrated genuine concern and attentiveness when she identified signs of abuse in a patient admitted to the Emergency Department. Leslie quickly recognized the indicators of abuse and was able to separate the patient from her abuser. Once alone, the patient disclosed that they were indeed a victim of abuse. Leslie immediately took action by contacting Phoenix House, who responded, spoke with the patient and arranged a follow-up visit for the next day.

Thanks to Leslie’s compassionate intervention, Phoenix House will now be able to connect the patient with vital services that can help them rebuild their life—free from the threat of ongoing abuse. The Director of Phoenix House personally informed me of the excellent job Leslie did. I want to publicly recognize Leslie for her outstanding work. She truly made a difference in someone’s life.

Empowerment

Susan Reeves
Speech Therapist, Speech Therapy

Nominated by Amy Molinar | Director of Ancillary Services
I want to recognize Susan Reeves for empowering my child. My child has regularly scheduled visits for speech therapy and truly enjoys coming to see Susan. In December, I mentioned to Susan that my child was having some trouble with word problems in math. She kindly asked me to bring in some of his homework so she could work with him. Two weeks ago, I brought her examples of what they had been struggling with. During the appointment, the went into her office, and 30 minutes later, they both came out excited to show me what was learned. My child was able to solve some math problems in just seconds—Susan had taught what she called “Math Magic.” I was incredibly impressed, but more importantly, my child was so proud of themselves. That evening, when we got home, we couldn’t wait to show my spouse what they had learned.

Since then, my child continues using the strategies Susan taught and I’ve seen real improvement in the math homework. My child now feels confident in their ability to complete it and no longer gets upset or overwhelmed—something that used to take up to two hours. Susan, along with the rest of our speech and occupational therapy team, does so much for our kids. I don’t think people realize how big these wins are for the children in this program. Thank you for making a lasting difference in my child’s life.