Xiaowei Ling, RN, BSN
Xiaowei Ling, RN, BSN
Staff Nurse
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt
2 years of service
“Knowing that I can help people in some way possible gives me a feeling of fulfillment and enjoyment that I had never experience before.”
At the NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt clinic on Staten Island, patients know that Xiaowei Ling goes the extra mile to make sure they receive the best care.
“I always start conversations with patients by introducing myself, showing respect and telling them how I will take care of them with a multidisciplinary team,” Ling continues. “Involving patients’ family members can provide encouragement for patients. Requesting feedback is another way to engage and take care of patients. I hope that patients understand that providers and nurses are always there to support them physically and emotionally; we are the ones they can trust.”
“My number one nursing goal is to provide excellent patient-centered care. Being patient and flexible are my personal characteristics,” she explains, “I am willing to sacrifice extra time and help those patients in need to take care of their own health conditions. You always have to expect obstacles to show up and provide patients support or direction.”
Ling points to a recent patient encounter as an example.
“I had a nurse visit with a 76-year-old man with hearing and reading difficulty; he came for diabetes management,” she recalls.
“He told me he disliked taking insulin and pricking his fingers every day. I spent an hour explaining to him the complications of Type 2 diabetes, the importance of medication adherence and lifestyle modification. Most importantly, I went over each medication with him including dose, route, frequency, and possible side effects; and also provided educational references with images for him to read. At the end of the visit, he told me, ‘Thank you, I understood everything you said.’ I was very satisfied that I helped him understand self-care plays an important role in diabetes management.”