Gaylenis Del Carmen Mendez Cabreja, BSN, RN
Gaylenis Del Carmen Mendez Cabreja, BSN, RN, more widely known as Carmen, was recently celebrated at a Mount Sinai Health System President’s Huddle. In the episode cited, Carmen was working her usual night shift at Mount Sinai Morningside, providing post-operative care to a bariatric patient.
The patient later wrote the following: “Carmen was without a doubt the most kind, patient, and empathetic nurse I have ever met. I was in an incredible amount of pain, utilized my call bell many times, and each time she was at my bedside in seconds, removing wires for my numerous bathroom breaks or just to provide calming words of encouragement. Additionally, I shared a room with a woman who had extensive injurie and was very angry and loud at times. All I heard was Carmen in calming tones de-escalating and advocating the patient’s wishes to other providers when they entered the room. I wanted to bring awareness to Carmen because often times, people aren’t praised for a job well done, and she was excellent.”
Susan Ignacio, RN, Manager, Patient Care Services at Mount Sinai Morningside, praises Carmen for her superb patient care.
“If you have met Carmen, you will know that she is soft-spoken and always attentive to her patients. She is the ‘Night-Shift Nightingale,’ carrying a lamp quietly checking that everyone is okay. We are proud to recognize Carmen for her compassion, empathy, and dedication to elevating the patient experience at Mount Sinai.”
Carmen clearly puts herself in her patient’s shoes. “I approach patient care with honesty, empathy, and patience. Honesty allows the patient to make more knowledgeable decisions about their care. Empathy helps patients feel more comfortable and trusting of you to provide care to them. And patience creates a warm and welcoming environment, where patients can process and heal what is a life-altering experience for them,” says Carmen, who has worked at Mount Sinai Morningside, 8E, since December 2021. “Nursing to me means being not only a caregiver, but a friend, to someone in medical need. It’s a blessing to be able to help people in their time of need.”