By Amy Moore

The News staff writer

Patients on the cardiac floor of Christus St. Mary Hospital have a friend — even if they do not know it.

Several patients on the floor are in comas but each day someone talks to them as if they were in a candid conversation with their closest companion.

With 22 years of experience in nursing, Kathleen Mambretti knows the profession inside and out but does not feel like the work she does is actual work.

“I’m not a nurse, I’m a mom,” the Bridge City resident said. “I’m here to help any way I can.”

Even if that means talking to someone in a coma, sitting with a patient who has no visitors or going out of her way to meet the needs of her patients — sometimes even outside the walls of the hospital.

“There was a woman and her husband both here in the hospital and she told me that their little dog was locked up in their apartment with no one to let it out or feed it,” Mambretti said. “So I went over there and fed it and let it out. While I was there I noticed the place needed to be cleaned up a little, so I washed the dishes.”

Completely modest about the way she works, Mambretti, a Texas Women’s University graduate, was blown away to discover that she was a nominee for Nurse of the Year at Christus St. Mary for Nurse’s Week.

She was nominated by her unit, headed by Victor Molina, Cardiac Services Nurse Manager.

“At one time I was Kathleen’s neighbor. She is the most dedicated, loving nurse I’ve ever met,” Molina said. “She taught me everything I know and I ended up being her boss. I’ll appreciate her all my life.”

As a magnet hospital, many nursing students make their way through Christus St. Mary during their years in school. Molina said the word of Mambretti’s work has spread through the students and she has become the most sought after nursing mentor.

“They (the students) are young and they can’t keep up with her and they are better nurses for that,” he said.

Molina said the work of a nurse is often overlooked for the work of a doctor and can become overwhelming.

“We are the heart of the matter. It’s often said that doctors cure and nurses care,” he said. “We put a lot of hard work and dedication into our work.”