It Takes A Village

​

With more than 10 years of nursing experience under his belt, Sanchez Joecris Ian Esmeralda, Staff Nurse at OCH, finds meaning and joy in the work that he does, and always aims to give his best to all his patients. But while nurses play an important role in a patient's recovery, Joecris says the secret ingredient that ties it all together is teamwork.

Synergy in the Wards
Not to be a cliché, but Joecris cannot stress enough on the importance of teamwork, communication, and mutual respect in the wards. Sharing a recent incident with a female patient with dementia, Joecris once again saw how the different members of the team, each with specialties in different areas, worked together like a well-oiled machine to provide person-centred care to our patient.

He says, "The patient, who was with us for more than six months, was waiting to be discharged to a nursing home. As she suffered from dementia, there were times that she acted up and did not want to take her medication. To ensure that she did not miss her medication timings, we coordinated with the doctors and pharmacists to adjust the timings for her to take her medicine.

We first tried hiding the medication in her meals but this didn't work out as she would frequently not finish her meals. This was when we sought the help of our dietitians and speech therapists to work out a meal plan for her so that she would be more willing to finish her food. Our rehab team was also involved in her care, working to help her improve her balance and stability to ensure her safety and wellbeing."

Other than increasing his productivity and confidence in caring for his patients, Joecris feels that teamwork has enabled him to put himself in the shoes of his colleagues and look at things from a different perspective. After all, they are all working towards a common goal!


At the Beginning
For most people, childhood dreams often do not live up to expectations. However, this was not the case for Joecris. He had always wanted to become a nurse since he saw his cousins wearing their nurses' uniform when he was a child. To him, it seemed that their uniform symbolised selflessness, cleanliness and purity. 

And when Joecris was in nursing school, it only reinforced his determination to become a nurse when he saw how fulfilling it was to be able to help patients through their recovery journey. He shares that when interacting with his patients, he often sees himself as a father, a son, a friend, a companion, a caregiver, and an adviser. Being a nurse is more than knowing all the right medical skills, it is also about having the compassion and sincerity to care for others.

 

And at the End
Joecris's love affair with nursing looks to be a lifelong one. He enjoys building a rapport with his patients and families while they are under his care, "We see many patients, and while we may not remember every single patient, the patients and their families will not forget the care that they have received from us. Being able to help and care for others is the key to a fulfilling life. Nursing is a calling and I am fortunate to be able to answer it."