Pinoy winst Nurse of the Year award in UK

BRIGHTON, UK – Teodoro “Jun Jun” Medran Jr. arrived in the United Kingdom in 1999 with a dream to become a successful nurse. Like many first-time overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), he was anxious about being in a foreign country, uncertain of what lay ahead.

He started working as a healthcare assistant at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH). Thirteen years later, Medran is still in the same place but he has worked his way up to become a clinical site manager who supervises employees across five hospitals in the southern coastal city. The hospitals reportedly treat over three quarters of a million patients each year.

Recently, Medran’s efforts were formally recognized when he bested 600 other nominees to win the Nurse of the Year 2011, the first Pinoy to win the award.

In an interview with ABS-CBN Europe, Medran recalled the moment he went up on stage to receive the award.

“I just felt that I was a representation of every Filipino nurse or OFW in the world. Naiyak ako kasi (I cried because) never kaming nare-recognize. We were always told, magaling ang Pilipino, but we were never recognized,” he said.

“Overwhelming talaga. Masayang masaya ako kasi para bang na-recognize yung sipag at pagod ko sa pagiging nurse ( I was so happy because all my effort at being a nurse were recognized),” he added.

While receiving the award, he thought of his parents in the Philippines.

“Unang una kong naisip ay ang (I first thought of my) mama at papa ko. I just want to give them back the glory. Kasi sila naghirap sa amin makarating sa position na kinatatayuan namin (They were very hard so we could be what we are now). So I offered it to them and obviously to God,” said Medran, who grew up in Oriental Mindoro and is married to a nurse.

“My mom was a frustrated nurse. That’s why all four of us became nurses. I find fulfillment, after a so long day, even if I’m tired, I’m happy,” he said.

He said receiving the award is more meaningful because the nomination came from patients and colleagues. Caring for patients comes naturally for Medran, who treats his patients like family.

“I always smile. I even sing to them,” he explained. “Even just humming or something, just to show them that I’m happy. Because I believe that if they see that the one caring for them is happy, they will get well.”

Medran also gives his patients haircuts. “I believe that if they look good, they will feel good. I treat them really like my family, which is I think is a Filipino trait. I never complain, no matter what patient they assign to me.”

Some of Medran’s patients have become so attached to him that they want him to always be around.

Medran’s parents were unable to visit the UK and attend the awarding ceremony, but he said they were really happy when they heard the news.

“I’m very proud of being a Filipino. In fact, I want to shout to the whole world that I’m a Filipino nurse. Eto na po, napanalo na tayo, para po sa atin lahat ito, para sa bayan natin, para sa buong Pilipinas (Here it is, we won, this is for all of us, for our country, for the whole Philippines),” Medran said. –Edward Lao (philstar.com)