Nursing Was the Only Career for Her

Malena Condon, RN

Malena Condon, RN, nurse navigator for Parkridge Health System's Care Assure program, comes from a family of nurses. Growing up, she and her sister listened to their mother's stories about nursing on the oncology floor in the 1970s - stories that led both to follow in their mother's footsteps.

One particular story stands out in Malena's mind. Her mother returned home one day with a plant a patient had given her as a token of appreciation for the compassionate care she provided. Not known around the house for her green thumb, Malena's mother was afraid the plant would not live and the kind gesture would be for naught. But, the plant thrived, as did Malena's dream of becoming a nurse.

"I was meant to be a nurse, and I never thought to do anything else," Malena said. "I've been in nursing my whole life, and I love what I do because I love helping people."

She began nursing in the Indigent Care Unit and moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after one year. Her experiences on these units shaped the way she provided care to her patients.

Handling Heartbreak in the Hospital

After working in the ICU, Malena became a traveling nurse for eight years and then began working in the Emergency Department (ED) at Parkridge Medical Center. During Malena's stent in the ED, a 30-something patient with a young family was brought in to be admitted for lung cancer treatment.

After not eating for several days because of complications due to his illness, the patient felt strong enough to eat and craved a salad with Thousand Island dressing. Malena was his nurse and went to the cafeteria to prepare him a meal. The cafeteria did not have any Thousand Island dressing, so she went to local markets that didn't have the dressing either.

"I thought, if I can't find the dressing, I'll make him and his family a gift basket - just to cheer them up," Malena recalled. "I wanted to do anything I could to help the family and make the situation a little more comfortable and easy for them."

She packed a basket with snacks, treats for the young children and a coloring book for his wife.

Unfortunately, the cancer had reached a point where it was not curable, and a few days later, the patient passed away.

"It is really difficult to see a family go through that experience," Malena said. "I've been a nurse for a long time, but I had a hard time with that. But, it's what we nurses do. We don't cry in front of patients. We do the best we can and take a moment later. As we did for this patient, we focus our energy on doing everything we possibly can for the patient and his or her family."

Care Assure

Malena recently became the second nurse navigator in the Care Assure program, an initiative that ensures excellent follow-up care for patients who have been treated for heart conditions at Parkridge. Along with Michelle Ridley, RN, Malena supports patients after discharge by coordinating follow-up appointments and facilitating the transition between hospitalization and the return home.

The position suits Malena's commitment to personalized patient care perfectly.

Above all else, Malena Condon is dedicated to the care and improvement of human life.