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ED RODRIGUEZ
Facility: Mary Washington Hospital
Specialty: Step Down Cardiac Telemetry
Hometown: Edna, TX
Favorite Color: "Cowboy blue. A deep blue, like
the Texas sky."
Favorite Movie: Saving Private Ryan
Nursing Education: "I enrolled in a one-year LPN
program in the Army, then served in the Gulf War as a medic
in the tank division. After the war, I obtained my RN education
from George Mason University."
Who was your most memorable patient?
"She was a very ill woman with HIV, Hepatitis C, and
anemia. I was told that she could be difficult. I was in and
out of her room throughout the night, giving blood. She said
nothing to me the whole time. Towards the end of my shift,
I went to inform all my patients as usual that I was leaving
for the night. When I got to the difficult patient’s
room, her back was towards me, and I heard her say, "You’re
a good nurse." Surprised, I said, "Excuse me?"
She turned slightly towards me and repeated, "You’re
a good nurse," turned over and fell asleep. It was a
simple compliment, yet it lifted me profoundly. Suddenly,
I wasn’t tired anymore, and my day was so much brighter."
What would you say is the best thing about being a nurse?
Like the incident with my difficult patient, no matter how
stressful or hectic my day has been, there will always be
one thing I’ve done or someone I’ve helped that
will lift my spirits, and reaffirm my belief that this is
my calling. Also, the opportunities to practice are good and
the money is good. Personally though, I don’t think most
nurses are in it for the money. They’re in nursing because
of the gratification.
What’s the most challenging thing about being a nurse?
The patient-to-staff ratio.
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