Leonela Cárdenas: Serving also saves lives
Public recognition rarely focuses on those who work as secretaries within the healthcare system. Their names are almost never associated with a surgical procedure, a complex diagnosis, or a patient’s recovery. Standing out among these quiet stories is that of Leonela Cárdenas Nerey; at 71, she has amassed over four decades of service as a secretary at the Camilo Cienfuegos Provincial Hospital in Sancti Spíritus, where she learned that serving also means organizing, anticipating needs, and finding solutions.
“I started back in 1982 at the Old Hospital. In ’86, I came here—to this hospital—to work as a secretary in Microbiology. Today, I am the secretary to the hospital administration; I’ve been working in administration since 2015.”
—What has the hospital meant to you?
“Well, the hospital feels like something personal—something that’s a part of me—because I come here every day. And, well, I think I’ve served everyone who has come to the administration office well so far, and I’m still here. I actually retired and was then rehired. I retired in 2015, which is when I moved to the administration office.”
—And why did you come back to work?
“I still feel capable, and I wanted to keep working.”
Leonela’s work doesn’t make headlines, but without it, many decisions would face obstacles before becoming reality. “I’m the one who reviews documents before the director signs them, so that when they reach his desk, they are ready for his signature. I check everything. I also handle matters related to finance and human resources here; all documentation passes through the administration office.”
Moreover, she is the first face people see when they arrive at the hospital administration office with a complaint or a word of thanks.
“I’m the first face they see. If it’s a matter for the Patient Relations department, I let the director know, and then we handle it right here, working together with that department.”
—And if someone arrives angry with a complaint about the hospital, what do you do?
“The director needs to know first. He makes the decision, and the matter is always addressed.”
—Do people also come to express gratitude for the care they received?
“Certainly. Many people do. They bring letters they’ve written to thank specific staff members, and these are passed on to the relevant departments—geriatrics, internal medicine, wherever it may be. They are read aloud, and the staff members get to hear them, too.”
—Is it unpleasant for you when someone comes in with a complaint?
“People can be rude sometimes. But well, you have to attend to them. Every situation is different; there are plenty of people who come in and behave respectfully.”
The story of Leonela Cárdenas Nerey reminds us that hospitals function thanks to those who work far from the operating rooms and inpatient wards, too. Because working as a hospital secretary is also a way of looking out for people.
