When Covid-19 hit, Priscila had been a nurse for only three years. But the crisis brought out something unique about Priscila—her genius as a nurse educator and collaborator. In May 2020, Priscila was working on an all-Covid unit, where patients were placed on high-flow nasal cannula for respiratory support. It was necessary to carefully titrate the oxygen level according to a patient’s clinical status, and when those flow rates got too high, transfer them to the ICU. The problem was that the post-surgical nurses in the unit were unfamiliar with managing complex respiratory symptoms and the equipment rarely seen before in the unit. To address this, the Education Council—led by Priscila as chair—developed a Respiratory Deterioration module. This included required education and hands-on training sessions to ensure nurses became confident and proficient in using respiratory equipment and ensure patient safety. Priscila’s ability to collaborate and develop this critical learning module so effectively within a crisis, as an early-career nurse, is remarkable.
Priscila never stops thinking about how care can be improved: She worked with colleagues to make an insulin drip algorithm more user-friendly for clinical nurses, and is adept at assessing diabetes patients’ learning needs. She actively addresses challenges to accessing diabetes education, including language barriers—having earned a Spanish interpreter certificate in college and passed UCLA’s Language Proficiency Assessment, she often serves as an interpreter herself. She has also developed a nationally-recognized ostomy training for nurses, to ensure each nurse is confident in providing best-practice ostomy care.
Priscila consistently demonstrates a commitment beyond exceptional patient care; she is able to actively listen, clearly explain, and compassionately support those she treats. Her drive extends to empowering fellow nurses through shared knowledge and the development of evidence-based practices that streamline workflows and enhance patient experience and health outcomes. She also serves as a motivational speaker for students in underserved areas, sharing her own story and encouraging them to pursue higher education and careers in healthcare.