The Heart of a Healer: Jacqueline Arroliga’s Extraordinary Journey From Volunteer to Nurse Leader

What started as a volunteer role at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford became a lifelong calling for Jacqueline Arroliga, now a charge nurse in the Maternity Unit. Her story of compassion, perseverance, and dedication proves that even the smallest acts of kindness can shape a career and change lives. When Jacqueline Arroliga first stepped through the doors of Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in 2009, she didn’t know she was walking into her future. A UC Berkeley graduate with a degree in Molecular Environmental Biology, she was searching for clarity, uncertain whether her path would lead to medical school or nursing.

In 2009, she began volunteering in the Newborn Hearing Program in the Maternity Unit, hoping to get firsthand insight into patient care. The following year, she got her first job at the Information Desk in 2010—but she didn’t stop volunteering. In fact, it was during this time that she transitioned into the Buddy Program, continuing to spend her evenings with pediatric patients after her day shifts at the Info Desk.

Her experiences as a Buddy opened her eyes to a side of healthcare she hadn’t expected: many children spent long hours—sometimes days—in the hospital without family at their bedside, not out of neglect but due to life’s circumstances. Parents had other children to care for, jobs to keep, and long distances to travel.

One child changed everything for her—a five-year-old boy from the oncology unit. Jacqueline met him through the Buddy Program but also saw him frequently during her Info Desk shifts when he would arrive with his mother. He spoke only Spanish, but the connection they formed was instant. They bonded over card games and simple conversations. One day, he looked up at her and said, “Young lady, go on and paint your nails.” She laughed and promised she would. The next time she saw him, her nails were painted, and he lit up with joy.

Later, his mother returned to the hospital alone. She found Jacqueline at the Info Desk, her eyes filled with tears, and thanked her for the time she had spent with her son—because he had passed away. That moment stayed with Jacqueline.

“That moment changed me,” she says. “It confirmed everything—I wanted to be the person who
brought comfort and care, even in the hardest times.”

Determined to follow her heart, Jacqueline enrolled in nursing school at the University of San Francisco. At the same time, she transitioned into a relief position as an Office Assistant in Volunteer Services, helping place and onboard new volunteers while supporting herself through school. She also transitioned her own volunteering to the Cuddler Program, giving comfort to infants when their parents could not be present.

“Going to school full-time while working was hard,” she admits, “but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of my amazing manager, Maryellen Brady, who gave me the flexibility I needed.”
In 2014, Jacqueline was accepted into the New Grad Program at LPCH and began her professional
nursing career in the Maternity Unit—a place she has called home ever since. The early days were
challenging. Learning the pace, pressure, and precision of bedside care took everything she had. But she pushed through, leaned on her mentors, and kept showing up with heart and humility.

Today, Jacqueline is a clinical nurse IV, one of the charge nurses, co-lead of the Maternity Quality
Improvement Committee, and local practice coordinator lead of the Maternity Shared Governance. She is not only a nurse—she is a mentor, an advocate, and a leader deeply committed to her team and her patients.

“I’ve seen every level of nursing in my unit, and it’s given me a unique perspective. I want to lead in a
way that strengthens my team—where we make decisions together and uplift one another, even on the busiest days.”

Looking back, Jacqueline credits every step—every volunteer shift, every office role, every late-night
study session—with preparing her for this work.

“You never know what someone is going through,” she reflects. “That’s the most valuable lesson I’ve
learned. Always lead with kindness.”

To those considering volunteering or exploring a career in health care, her advice is clear:
“Put yourself in the environment. Experience it firsthand. A shared laugh, a comforting presence, a
painted nail—it all matters. It might just change your life, like it did mine.”

This Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 20-27) and Nurses Week (May 6-12), we honor Jacqueline
Arroliga and the countless individuals who dedicate their time, skill, and heart to the care of others.
From volunteers who bring warmth into hospital rooms to nurses who walk alongside families in their
most vulnerable moments, you are the heartbeat of Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.

Thank you for all that you do.