February 2023
Randy
Oreta
,
RN, BSN, CMSN
B3SU
UCI Health
Orange
,
CA
United States
He made me feel safe and seen.
Randy is a gift! His intentional presence to me (and surely others) had a healing effect during my surgical recovery following a six-hour abdominal surgery. I felt very anxious coming out of anesthesia and pain meds. I had a very dark and foreboding feeling that death was near. I had been placed in the isolation room in the corner and could not hear nor see others which heightened my worry. Randy sat at my bedside and held my hand. His soft, thoughtful conversation was not patronizing, but rather full of facts and information about who, where, and what the nursing team was doing to assure my safety. He offered to move me once a bed became available. He checked in on me with a level of genuine compassion and concern on a regular basis. He made me feel safe and seen. At the change of shift, he told me he would be back the next evening. When he returned he insisted I look at other available rooms that might increase and improve my confidence and healing. He convinced me to move to the room overlooking the heliport with the wall of windows (and view of the snow covered mountains when the morning arrived!). That room has huge healing properties (and a view of Disneyland fireworks on a clear night!). I received a lot of beautiful flowers during my stay and on my final night, I asked Randy to please select one to take home to his family. He graciously declined and asked instead that I share one with the floor team- selfless, intentional, present (the biggest gift!), a great listener, and surely a great clinician. Randy made my stay at UCI a healing journey and I am deeply grateful to him and the entire team!