Warrior of the Week: Maribett Flores

Compassionate, humble, caring.

Those are some of the words that have been used to describe this week’s Warrior of the Week: APN Maribett Flores.

Flores is a nurse for the Veterans Affairs (VA) at the James J. Howard clinic in Brick.

Karen Nugget, who was mentored by Flores at the clinic from September 2012 to May 2013, said that she nominated Flores as a “warrior” for the individual attention she pays each veteran.

Nugget said that during the time she worked with her, she learned more from Flores than she ever could in a textbook.

“In a book, you learn about the technical techniques of nursing, but things like how to talk to people and how to get the extra information that [veterans] aren’t usually ready to volunteer…that’s what she could do. That’s what she taught me the most,” Nugget said.

Flores provides “excellent care” for the veterans, and gives them the individual attention they need, like follow-up care or mental health services, Nugget said.

She treats each veteran as if they were a member of her family, and even calls some of them after treatment to make sure they are doing well, Nugget said.

“She even went to the church during her lunch breaks to pray for some of the vets,” said Nugget. “She makes you reexamine yourself and think, "I want to be more like her."