Nurse Excellence Award winner John Guillermo, RN, leads with compassion and discernment

“He consistently advocates for ongoing training and advancements in care, particularly focusing on central lines for dialysis. He encourages updates in clinical practice to ensure the highest quality of patient care. Recognized as a major champion for his office.”

John Guillermo, RN, IU Health Nephrology–Bloomington ambulatory team lead, is dedicated to helping and serving patients and his team. He does this by learning new “s, coming up with different ways to improve efficiencies in day-to-day tasks, connecting with patients on a personal level and more.

“I believe that there will always be opportunities for improvement, and advancement in healthcare is a must in order to achieve better health outcomes for our patients,” he says. “Most importantly, connecting with patients on a personal level is very important because it builds trust and removes so many barriers, which then allows me to better care for each patient I come across.”

Guillermo admits nursing is hard. Trying to help people on some of the worst days of their lives can take a toll. He encourages nurses not to detach from their emotions. Instead, lean into them with your team and be that support when others need it in turn.

He also supports his team by making sure they have the information they need to succeed.

“I think discernment is crucial in every conversation we make,” Guillermo shares. “I try to fact-find first to allow me to disseminate information fully and timely.”

This includes his work communicating important information from system governance to the regional governance council. And while Guillermo shines through his initiative and leadership skills, he always brings everything back to compassion.

“Compassion resonates with me because this is at the center of what nursing should be, with the other [IU Health] values intertwined with it.”