05/09/2023
Great story of how what we do can influence those beyond our patients.
What or who influenced your decision to become a nurse?
Happy Nurses Week!
Sarah Hernandez was born with a congenital heart defect and needed open-heart surgery as a newborn. The surgery was a success and Sarah thrived, but her younger brother Manny was born with several health issues that required frequent hospital visits. When Sarah saw how the nurses caring for Manny treated him and her family with so much care and respect, she knew she wanted to be a nurse.
After getting her bachelor's degree in nursing, Sarah started work at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, the same hospital where she had her surgery. She works with the surgeon who saved her life as a baby.
Sarah is a nurse in the cardiovascular acute care unit. There, patients begin their recovery after complex surgeries while their families learn the intricacies of caring for a cardiovascular patient at home, exactly as her parents had done.
"I love being able to take care of and treat people," Sarah says. "But even more, I love being able to teach their families and make them feel safe and comfortable taking their kids home."
Happy to Sarah and all the nurses who make a difference!
Here's Sarah's Story From the Heart: http://spr.ly/6188OwPm6