Michael Tagadaya, a Filipino American received the New York Times’ 2011 Tribute to Nurses Award for Innovation and Leadership early this week in a simple award ceremony in Manhattan.
“This award means so much to me. It’s not a personal victory, not a personal achievement as I am very thankful to everyone who has, in one way or the other, helped me throughout this journey,” Tagadaya told the Asian Journal.
Tagadaya, a proud son of Mindanao, finished his nursing degree at the Notre Dame University in Cotabato City. He moved to the United States in 1999, and like typical Filipino immigrants, went through various struggles before finding a stable job.
Tagadaya passed the nursing board in 1991, then he moved to Cagayan de Oro from Cotabato City to try teaching for a couple of years. In 1999, he applied for work in the United States. He presently works at the NYU Langone Medical Center Hospital for Joint Diseases.
From working at a deli to shining shoes on the side, from sleeping on friends’ couches to missing the last train home because of overtime work, Tagadaya said he never said no, and accepted jobs no matter how odd they were that time.
“I was like a machine, I never got overwhelmed. It was a privilege to be able to work and earn for my family,” he said.
Along his journey, he met wonderful Filipinos who helped him out even if they hardly knew him. He only had a few hundred dollars in his pockets but he carried with him a big dream.
“I’m so lucky and proud to have met Filipino strangers who extended a helping hand. We’re such a caring people, maybe that is why a lot of us are nurses,” he said chuckling.
As a registered nurse, he had no qualms accepting jobs whether they were in small clinics or care home facilities, whether it is five minutes or five hours away. When he had mustered enough work experience here in the United States, he gathered all his guts and applied for a job at the New York University Hospital.
“They turned me down the first time but I did not let that deter me. I applied for a second time and I was rejected again. After six months, I applied again and I kept knocking and asked that they see me and hear what I had to offer. I wanted them to know me,” Tagadaya shared.
He was hired. That was about seven years ago.
“Whatever you give me, I’ll do it,” he told the hiring manager. He showed them that he was worth their while. He was both resilient and relentless, two traits he continues to hold near and dear his heart.
From assistant nurse manager, Tagadaya is now the nurse manager at the Ambulatory Surgery Center of NYU-HJD. There, he introduced innovations such as the creation of paddle pagers to ease the family members’ concerns about their loved ones’ surgeries.
He also created new staff positions to bridge the gap between operating room and recovery room.
Two years ago, his bosses egged him to pursue further studies in the field of nursing. Despite his initial apprehension, he applied. This year through perseverance and a lot of hard work, he finished his program and received his masters.
During the course of his study, he was able to do research work with some of his mentors. He was a part of a team that was recognized by the NYU Langone Medical Center in its first Quality and Safety Awards.
Because of these achievements, some of his staff deemed it necessary to nominate him to the “Tribute to Nurses Program” of the New York Times, which is the publication’s way of bringing attention to the outstanding contribution of nurses in the healthcare field in the tri-state area.
“I received a call from the Times congratulating me for winning in various categories and informed me that they were creating a new award—on innovation and leadership—just for me. It was almost unbelievable,” Tagadaya said.
His superiors at the hospital are all praises for his achievements.
“It’s no surprise that a lot of our nurses are of Filipino background and we really have a lot of respect for them. And they’re wonderful colleagues and they really make our medical center special, It’s a pleasure to have them,” said Joseph Bosco, vice-chairman of the Orthopedic section of the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, in an interview with Balitang America.
“Congratulations on achieving this honor. It’s a beginning of your path in nursing leadership and we are very proud of you,” said Ann Vanderberg, Vice President for Nursing and Patient Services.
Among Tagadaya’s close friends, who is very proud of this award is Ian Medrano, a nurse practitioner in Brooklyn.
“I’ve known him for about 10 years now and I’m very proud to see him receive this award. It’s an honor for Filipinos, not just the nurses, all over the world. To be recognized by the New York Times is a major achievement,” Medrano told the Asian Journal.
The victory hasn’t fully sunk in yet, and Tagadaya says he is relishing the moment. While he knew about the win earlier, he didn’t post it on his Facebook profile until this week. Now, congratulatory messages are pouring in from family and friends across the globe.
“It actually led me to think that when I was small, my dad told me that I’d be working in the US when I grew up. Of course back then, it didn’t mean anything,” he said, adding that he is eternally thankful to his family, specially his dad.
Michael’s father was a police officer, while his mother was a stay at home mom, who took care of him and seven of his siblings. He is the fourth child, and the eldest among the boys.
His eyes turned misty when he recalled why he was here.
“Everything that I do here is not just for me but for my entire family. We had to go through a lot and I have to be a source of inspiration specially to my nephews and nieces,” Tagadaya said.
(Photos courtesy of Michael Tagadaya)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(NYNJ Dec 16-22, 2011 LifeEASTyle pg.2)
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