Irish Hugo, BSN, RN
Irish Hugo, BSN, RN
To Make An Appointment
Call 1-844-NYC-4NYC
to make an appointment with an NYC Health + Hospitals provider today.
Staff Nurse, Critical Care
NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull
Nursing is a well-respected and high-profile profession in the Philippines, so it seemed logical and desirable for Ma Irishpastor, “Irish Hugo,” to follow her dream of a nursing career.
“Coming from the Philippines, I was inspired to pursue nursing so I could provide a better life for my family,” she explains. “I have always been passionate about nursing. It gives me a sense of purpose, to make a difference in people’s lives when providing patient care to those in need – as if they are my own family.”
“I feel good inside when I see improvement in my patients,” she continues. “You are supporting people when they are in their most vulnerable state, helping them feel safe and comfortable. We as nurses make a positive impact on each and every patient, and their families as well.”
Hugo served as a nurse in the Philippines for four years, prior to immigrating to the United States, where she has worked for NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull for 14 years, currently serving as a Staff Nurse in the Critical Care unit.
“Being an ICU nurse requires you to be fully invested in caring for patients in order to navigate the highs and lows,” she points out. “Regardless of how difficult and challenging the work is, I still find myself motivated and goal-oriented to deliver the best personalized care to my patients.”
Hugo notes that the ongoing pandemic has brought the strengths of nurses and the nursing profession to the forefront of public consciousness. “Nurses have proven themselves many times before, rising to the challenges and demands of our society, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 surge,” she remarks. “It is easier for a nurse to deal with daily work demands by being resilient, a team player and updated in nursing knowledge and research through continuing education. This allows us to provide the most comprehensive and highest-quality patient care.”
Nominators praise Hugo’s engagement, team spirit and mentorship, noting, “As an active member of the critical care shared governance council for the past year, she is very active in staff engagement activities.”
Another nominator pointed out, “Irish is highly respected by her patients, their families and her colleagues. Nursing leadership can always count on her to provide support to all members of the multidisciplinary team.”
“She is confident in her skills, leading by professional example, staying ahead of the moment in the rapidly changing and complex environment,” comments another nominator. “She utilizes constructive solutions to solve problems while remaining, calm and collected.”
Hugo says one of her strengths is compassion, and therefore this is the ICARE value that resonates most strongly with her. “I’m a compassionate and caring person,” she relates. “Compassion is valuable to nursing care because being compassionate helps patients feel respected and acknowledged.”
“You can show compassion by expressing empathy,” she adds. “It is important to understand the feelings from the patient’s perspective, and act as a patient advocate by listening and addressing their health care needs.”