Growing up, Tony often heard his mom Sam talk about her job at CHOC Hospital. As a respiratory therapist, he knew that she played an important part in helping to make critically ill patients better.
When he was in fourth grade, Tony was tasked with writing a paper about what he wanted to be when he grew up. He told his mom he wanted to either join the military and be a sniper, or become a registered nurse (RN).
“I told him he was too tall to be a sniper and that he should definitely become a pediatric RN. He never wavered after that,” Sam recalls.
Fast forward to his high school biology class, when he connected with his mom over his coursework on different body systems, and some of the diseases she had seen in her 30-year career at CHOC.
“When I was younger, I would see my mom come home after work exhausted, but always with a smile on her face. She was doing what she loved and was proud that she was a CHOC employee,” Tony says. “As I got older, I saw friends’ parents stop enjoying their jobs, while my mom was still coming home happy.”
While pursuing his nursing degree, Tony was hired at CHOC as a unit assistant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). On the 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. shift, he interacted with day shift and night shift nurses and physicians, and occasionally floated to other units. He felt a strong pull towards the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for the complex and diverse patients they care for on a regular basis.
“Initially I did feel bad for Tony because the majority of his coworkers knew him as my son, and had heard stories about him when he was growing up,” Sam recalls. “I work the day shift, and I remember the day a nurse who had just switched from the night shift asked me, ‘Are you Tony’s mom?’ I said, ‘No, Tony is my son!’ I had worked here for over 25 years at the time and he had only worked here for six months! Since then, everyone on night shift has called me Tony’s mom.”
Clinical rotations in nursing school reaffirmed Tony’s commitment to pursuing a career at CHOC.
“When I was at other hospitals, I noticed a difference in both the care team and the way they interacted with patients,” Tony says. “Later, when I was halfway through the nursing residency program at CHOC, I had a sense of pride as I bragged to my old classmates from nursing school about how amazing CHOC was and how great PICU was. I knew I had found my home.”
The RN Residency Program at CHOC is an intensive 17-week program designed for new nursing graduates to help them successfully transition to becoming a professional pediatric nurse.
Since graduating from the residency program last year, Tony has already made a lasting impression on patients in the PICU and their families.
“Patient and family-centered care means a lot to me. I chose pediatrics to work closely with the patient as well as the family during their scary time,” Tony says. “I tell every parent as I take care of their child, that if they feel something is wrong to tell me and we’ll explore every avenue together. I always encourage them to participate as physicians are making rounds so they feel a part of the team. Working night shift, it’s important to me that my patients’ parents trust me enough to rest and take care of themselves, as I watch over their child.”
Even though Sam knew that Tony would be a great registered nurse from the time he was young, seeing him in action has filled her with an even greater sense of pride.
“Tony has always demonstrated a strong sense of compassion and a willingness to take care of others. He has a strong work ethic and an outstanding moral compass,” she says. “When I am approached by people who have just learned he is my son and they tell me how much they love working with him, it makes my heart sing.”
In their family, the admiration goes both ways.
“Knowing that my mom is a hard worker and well-respected at CHOC makes me want to live up to her standard,” Tony says. “There have been a couple of instances where we’ve worked together and it’s exciting because I’ve long heard how amazing she is as a respiratory therapist, but I’ve gotten to see it firsthand.”
Although Sam works days and Tony is just arriving for his shift as she is heading home for the night, she takes loves whenever she has a chance to see her son in action.
“I see him at change of shift receiving reports and my smile is instantaneous. He is a delightful young man and I am proud to be his mom, thrilled to work with him and honored that he chose a profession that helps others.”
