POP Awardee's advice: Don't define patients by their condition
(SACRAMENTO)
This month's Point of Pride (POP) Award was presented to dietician Mercedes O’Madden. The POP Award recognizes that every day, countless actions of empathy and kindness – large and small – take place across our health system.
A UC Davis Health employee for nearly 20 years, O’Madden provides care and education for patients with diabetes. At Friday’s POP ceremony, she talked about the importance of seeing patients as human beings first and “not defining people by their condition.”
The POP nomination provided an example of O’Madden’s excellent approach to patient care:
She went above and beyond for a Spanish-speaking patient who had just started using a new insulin pump. Recognizing that the patient had received inadequate training, which could have led to serious health repercussions, Mercedes took immediate action to rectify the situation. Understanding the urgency and potential risks involved, she not only brought the patient back for additional training but also took it upon herself to provide personalized care during this critical adjustment period. Over several days, Mercedes displayed an extraordinary level of dedication by calling the patient daily to monitor her progress and ensure her understanding of the new device.
Jita Buno, Associate Chief Operating Officer, and Wendi Vela, Director of Food & Nutrition Services, presented the POP Award to O’Madden.
“I’m grateful to be here to recognize you and your compassionate care, Mercedes,” said Vela.
