I am Penn State Health: Angel Nieves

As a security guard at Penn State Health St. Joseph, Angel Nieves doesn’t have the chance to make a first impression—his uniform does it for him. He knows some people automatically feel intimidated by him, but he wants them to know he’s friendly and accessible.
Nieves is protective and very fond of St. Joe’s—he’s been there for 19 years. Each morning when he unlocks the doors to the Downtown Campus in Reading, there may already be a line of people, many of whom he knows by name. He welcomes them like a gracious host and hands out a big smile and kind words along with directions, advice, lab service numbers and much more.
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This is the Best Part of My Job
I have a personal connection to the people—both patients and staff. I’ve known a lot of them for a very long time, and we work together as a team, like brothers and sisters.
Biggest Challenge
Sometimes you have patients who don’t agree with the doctors or sometimes patients come in late, and the appointment has to be changed. I’m the mediator. I try to come up with solutions and make sure they leave feeling good.
Putting Patients at Ease
The majority of our patients are Hispanic, and they know I speak Spanish, which makes them feel very comfortable. Growing up in Brooklyn, I went through the same struggles with my mom, who is from Puerto Rico.
Most Memorable Moment
A person wanted to jump off the third floor open stairwell that goes down to the first floor here at St. Joseph, and I had to hold this person down. I was able to bring calm to the situation. Today, that person is doing great.
This is What Makes Me Proud
I know I help a lot of people every single day.
My Take on the Bigger Picture
Some patients are worried that St. Joseph is going to close down, and I say no, Penn State Health is going to help us move forward and transform us into something better.
Top Trip on My Bucket List
I would love to go back to Puerto Rico and visit my aunts and uncles and show my kids and my fiancé where I lived.
3 Things I Couldn’t Live Without
- Lifting weights and boxing.
- Dancing the salsa, bachata and meringue with my fiancé—there are 52 weeks in a year, and we go out dancing 45 of them.
- My kids and their sports—basketball and soccer.
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