Claudia Torres

March 29, 2021
Claudia Torres, a nurse at UCHealth Memorial Hospital North, supported a new mother, even after her shift was over. Photo by UCHealth.

Commitment to patient continues past shift change

After helping more than 1,000 babies enter the world, Claudia Torres knows there’s no such thing as a routine delivery.

This fall, the 10-year labor and delivery nurse who works as a charge most days cared for a patient she identified as having potential for serious complications. Torres often collaborates with the HAWKS team, short for high-quality, anticipatory, watchful and supportive.  HAWKS are specialized nurses who actively follow obstetric patients identified as moderate- or high-risk.  Assessing the patient, and flagging her medical record so others were aware, is part of Torres’ job. But she and her colleagues did far more than send an early warning.

“She was a momma at heart,” Torres said of her patient. “Within the first hour, I picked up on her anxiety and fears. I knew we had to be prepared and made it my goal to get to know her on a personal level and try to make her feel comfortable.”

Throughout the day, Torres learned the patient hoped to have six children but understood the challenge her second child was presenting. With the child’s father out of town on a military assignment and other family unable to travel because of COVID-19, Torres and Marisa Lopez did their best to support the patient, staying by her side even when there was a shift change.

“Right before shift change, I told her ‘I’ll hold your hand as much as you want me to.’ ’’ Torres said. “I offered to stay for the delivery and until things looked good.”

Things didn’t look good for more than 24 hours.

Torres stayed by her patient’s side as she first delivered a healthy baby girl and then was whisked into surgery to stem uncontrolled bleeding. There, Torres encouraged her patient, extolled the skills of the team working on her and refused to let her say goodbye. She stayed more than three hours after her shift ended and returned the next day, despite not being scheduled to work.

“I did not feel like going home,” Torres said. “My heart told me to go to the hospital. I stayed at her bedside and cried with her, telling her how miraculous she was. I’m glad I was able to see her through it all.”

Torres, the mother of three boys herself, says she cherishes one-on-one moments with her patients and the relationships she develops.

“It is a privilege to care for others at such an important part of their life,” Torres said. “I don’t feel like I did more than anyone else. We’re all committed to helping others. Things can take a turn for the worse in the most wonderful moments of life and the team is exceptional in the miraculous event.”

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