“Vivek has been my mentor from the beginning, teaching, guiding, and assisting me with everything I needed to become a successful nurse practitioner,” said Amber Luu, NP at Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center.
Vivek Venkatakrishnan, MD, FACP, was named a Friend of Nursing – Interprofessional Colleague for the 2024 Extraordinary Nurse Award program. He is an internal medicine physician at the Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center and has been with Kaiser Permanente for nearly four years.
Inspiration for Health Care
“I come from a family of doctors and grew up hearing wonderful stories about my grandfather, a former army doctor. My parents were general practitioners in a small village in India and were deeply respected and adored by their patients. Their dedication and compassion inspired me to pursue a career in health care,” said Venkatakrishnan.
“I am inspired by my colleagues, who remain calm and supportive whenever I need help. Together, we share a common goal: to provide the best care for our patients at Kaiser Permanente,” he added.
Leading with Purpose
“Leading with purpose means taking each day as it comes and not overthinking things, even on tough days, because I know tomorrow will be better,” shared Venkatakrishnan.
Delivering Care Excellence
“While performing a shoulder injection on a patient, I needed assistance,” said Luu.
“Vivek confirmed that my injection placement was correct, and then stayed to help calm the patient, offering reassurance that they were in good hands,” said Luu.
“The empathy he demonstrates daily towards patients and as a mentor makes him extraordinarily deserving of this award,” Luu added.