We salute those who - New Orleans City Business

NURSEDarlene GondrellaPosition: case management and patient access services senior director, West Jefferson Medical CenterAge: 39Family: husband, Randy; son, Randall, 9Education: bachelor’s degree in nursing, Louisiana State University School of Nursingphoto by Frank AymamiFor Darlene Gondrella, the threats of hurricanesKatrina and Gustav put her 17-year nursing career to the test.“Hurricane Katrina was very challengingin that here I was at the hospital, and my familywas off evacuating,” said Gondrella, whoremained at the hospital for nearly two weeksafter Katrina. “We had no power for threedays, no water and no air-conditioning. It wasa very challenging environment.”Three years later, as a member of WestJefferson Medical Center’s leadership team,Gondrella helped to evacuate patients forGustav, when forecasters predicted the WestBank would take a direct hit. In just a fewhours, Gondrella and her team of threeemployees arranged for patient transport aswell as the organization of relevant documents,copies of medical records, medications,treatment supplies and personal items.She went without sleep for 46 hours tocomfort patients and their families and toensure the safety of the hospital and the staffwho remained in the building.“I learned that I’m capable of doingthings that I didn’t know I was capable ofdoing,” Gondrella said. “We had to overseeand manage the evacuation of the number ofpatients who we evacuated.”Gondrella said her team evacuated atleast 70 dialysis patients in about two hours.When it was time for patients to return to thehospital, Gondrella’s team also organizedtheir arrival.“To me, it’s a rewarding experience to bethere as a patient advocate. Whatever theirneeds are, we take care of it.”•— Amy Ferrara SmithNURSEDonna GuzmanPosition: registered nurse in the medical intensive care unit, Slidell Memorial HospitalAge: 46Family: husband, Javier; daughters, Meli, 28, Letti, 27, Holly, 25, Vicky, 23Education: associate’s degree in nursing, Pearl River Community Collegephoto by Tracie Morris SchaeferDonna Guzman calls nursing her secondcareer. Her first career was raisingfour daughters.“When they all got old enough, I said tomyself I am ready to do something that Icould be proud of and my family could beproud of, and that door opened up to nursingschool,” Guzman said. “I have fallen inlove with it. I like spending time withpatients. They all have different stories.And every day, you just try to make a differencethat does good for the patient.”Guzman has been a registered nurse formore than 15 years, with 11 years spent atSlidell Memorial Hospital and seven yearsin its medical intensive care unit.“It’s a little more intense than the otherdepartments and you have to react quickerand faster than normal,” Guzman said. “Iactually used to think it was the departmentbehind closed doors for the elite andspecial nurses, like the wizard behind the16 Health Care Heroescurtains. But since being here, I have reallyblended in and become accustomed tothe fast and critical pace.”Guzman said her nursing career wasfirst impacted during her orientation at St.Tammany Parish Hospital. One of her firstjobs was to help care for a 40-year-oldDown syndrome patient who was very sickwhen she was admitted.“She was lethargic, unconscious andjust not doing well. All I remember is notifyingthe nurses as things kept gettingworse, and they all rushed in and out of theroom to keep trying to save her, but sheended up dying,” Guzman said.“I was a young nurse at the time anddidn’t know as much as I should have, stilllearning on the fly. It made me work harderearly in my career to give everything Icould to study this profession and be thenurse I am today.”•— Tommy SantoraDonna Guzman administersmedicine to patientCatherine Long.