From the island to the world: CatSU alumnus wins prestigious 2023 Vascular Access Nurse of the Year Award
AlumniIn a night of celebration for the
unsung heroes in the medical field, one Catandunganon stood out from the rest.
Dressed in a dapper coat and tie
rather than his usual hospital scrubs, Romeo Valeza received the prestigious
Bronze award in the Vascular Access Nurse of the Year category from the British
Journal of Nursing (BJN) at the Banking Hall in London, United Kingdom on March
8, 2023, making him the only Catandungan to win such an award that night.
Valeza, who hails from Virac,
Catanduanes, currently serves as an Apheresis Charge Nurse at Hammersmith
Hospital under Imperial College Healthcare Trust. His introduction of a unique
apheresis procedure using ultrasound guidance in 2017 was a breakthrough from
the usual use of femoral lines and has since created a significant impact on
his patients’ lives.
His outstanding dedication,
excellence in his work, compassion, and unmatched work ethic made him worthy of
receiving the award, which recognizes the achievements of vascular access
nurses responsible for progress, continued professional development, and
improved patient care within vascular access.
Furthermore, Valeza is a highly
skilled hematology-oncology nurse who worked as a lead nurse for apheresis in a
major NHS hospital in London. This type of work specializes in providing
patients with access to their circulatory system to perform red cell exchange
treatment. As this work requires rigorous focus, attention to detail, and
expertise, they are often expected to become miracle workers who make even the
most impossible cases possible. During his time, he has performed miracles and
helped countless patients receive safe and effective vascular access.
His list of expertise goes on, as
he is also skilled in bone marrow aspiration and ultrasound-guided peripheral
cannulation.
With more than 30 years of
experience in stem-cell transplantation, chemotherapy administration, and
general surgical nursing, he has already acquired numerous awards and
commendations, such as Outstanding Alumnus, Presidential Awardee, ASFA’s
Choosing Wisely Initiative Champion, Terumo’s Advancing Apheresis award
(runner-up), and the most recent BJN Vascular Nurse of the Year bronze medal
award.
In addition, he is a published
researcher with two abstract publications in the Journal of Clinical Apheresis
and British Society for Haematology, earning him recognition and awards in the
UK and the USA.
However, before all the
commendations and accolades, he was once a student from the small island of
Catanduanes at Catanduanes State University, which was then Catanduanes State
Colleges. He graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1990,
with a full scholarship from the Gabriel Sorra Scholarship Foundation. His time
at the University served as his stepping stone and training ground for his
chosen field.
Later on, he pursued a Master of
Arts in Nursing at the University of Santo Tomas under a full scholarship from
the Philippine Civil Service Commission Local Scholarship Program. He then
enrolled in different universities in London to continue his professional
development.
As an alumnus of CatSU and the
College of Health Sciences (CHS), he consistently supports the College’s agenda
of providing quality nursing education to its students by participating in various
donation drives organized by the College.
He continues to be an inspiration
to students, particularly student nurses, as well as his nursing colleagues and
fellow alumni, proving that even a former student from a small island can stand
out in the world.
