ARLINGTON – National Nurses Week, May 6-12, holds special significance for Michael Espada de los Reyes and his mother, Sheila Espada de los Reyes, both registered nurses at Medical City Arlington.
Both family members work the night shift – Sheila as a clinical nurse coordinator in the mother-baby unit and Michael as a floor nurse in the neurological/medical-surgical unit. Michael jokes that it’s handy to have his mom around at work if he forgets to bring food from home for his meal – because Mom always has extra to share. But most importantly, he says his mom has been an inspiring mentor.
“Just the way she takes care of her family, giving us TLC – tender, loving care – I also see her doing this with her patients,” Michael shared. “I first saw this when I was a kid and visited her at work at the hospital. People love her, and she inspired me to become a nurse and help other people.”
The admiration is mutual.
“I’m so proud of my son,” Sheila says. “He gives the best care for his patients, and they often consider him as family. One of his patients recently cried when he left the floor to go home and asked if he was coming back as their nurse that night.”
Nursing runs in their family, which immigrated to the United States from the Philippines. Sheila has been a nurse for more than 25 years, with the last nine at Medical City Arlington. Michael has been at work in his first nursing job for two years at the same hospital. Michael’s younger brother will soon graduate from nursing school, and Sheila’s sister is also a nurse.
“I love being a nurse,” Michael said. “For me, it’s a calling.
Sheila agreed, adding that she loves “touching the lives of people, giving compassionate and excellent care, and sharing blessings of how beautiful life is.”
Members of the community can help celebrate National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week, which both run through Saturday, by saying “thank you” to nurses and healthcare workers for their unwavering commitment to care for patients and for making hospitals places of hope and healing.
Medical City Healthcare helps nurses and colleagues unlock endless possibilities with career growth options, work schedules tailored to fit colleague needs, the ability to move any HCA Healthcare facilities across the country, recognition programs, professional development programs and more.
In addition, the Texas Two-Step Nursing Program enables current Medical City Healthcare employees to earn an associate degree in nursing. Once admitted, Medical City Healthcare pays for tuition, fees, books, and uniforms.