Stepping up, night and day, for birth center patients
For surgical technologist Catalina Sacayon, supporting patients and teammates is simply part of who she is.
While working a Friday night shift at the UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital Birth Center, Sacayon learned there would be a coverage need during the day shift that weekend. Understanding the importance of having a full care team available, she stepped up and offered to remain at the birth center between scheduled shifts to help ensure seamless patient care.
The decision became even more meaningful when Sacayon learned she would be caring for a patient undergoing labor induction.
“As surgical techs, we’re here to support both our patients and our care teams,” Sacayon said. “Whether it’s assisting with deliveries, restocking supplies or helping prepare for patient needs, we do whatever we can to help the unit function smoothly.”
Sacayon’s commitment meant caring for patients and stepping in for teammates across her scheduled Friday and Saturday night shifts, as well as an additional day shift in between. To ensure she was rested and ready to provide the safest possible care, leadership and colleagues arranged a space for her to sleep between shifts and adequate coverage during that time.
Throughout the patient’s labor and delivery, Sacayon remained focused on ensuring both the patient and the care team had the resources they needed.
“I knew I needed to be there for that patient,” she said. “I’ve been in situations where a mother or baby needed immediate care, and I would never want a patient facing that without a full team there to support them.”
Stepping up that weekend was rooted in a simple belief for Sacayon: Every patient deserves the same level of care she would want for her own family.
And that patient-first mindset is what continues to drive Sacayon’s work.
“At the end of the day, it’s always about the people in our care and doing everything we can to help them through their journey,” she said.
In a recent Celebrating You nomination, Longs Peak Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Jamie Nordhagen recognized Sacayon’s dedication and willingness to go above and beyond.
“Faced with an unanticipated staff gap, Catalina chose to remain at the hospital between her night shifts to ensure our birth center patients received safe and seamless care,” Nordhagen said. “This was not asked of her; it was a choice rooted in deep ownership, accountability and dedication to her team and our patients. Her actions reflect the very best of who we are and demonstrate that our culture of caring is not just something we talk about — it’s something we live.”