Family Legacy of Caring and Compassion

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

April 24, 2025 – Inspired by her mother’s nearly three decades of service caring for the tiniest patients at Salinas Valley Health, April Rose Maniwang, BSN, RN, is achieving her own notable professional accolades on the Maternity Mother/Baby Unit. Maniwang’s dedication, skill, and compassion were captured in not one, but two DAISY Award Nominations from patients within days of each other, resulting in Maniwang receiving the prestigious DAISY Award for nursing excellence.

"I practically grew up on the perinatal department at Salinas Valley Health," said Maniwang. "My mom is my inspiration and I am so grateful to be a part of an amazing team. It’s not just helping parents while they are here, I enjoy teaching them skills that empower them in their home environment. It's very rewarding."

After completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Illinois Chicago, Maniwang joined Salinas Valley Health in Fall 2023 as part of the New Grad Cohort and quickly became an integral part of the Mother/Baby team.

"April Rose is a reflection of the beauty and knowledge that her mother Rose brought to our organization for so many years in our Level III NICU,” said Carla A. Spencer, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Salinas Valley Health Chief Nursing Officer. “It’s wonderful to see her continuing that legacy and already making a profound difference in the lives of our patients and families."

The two patient nominations for Maniwang included a comment which read, “April helped me get through a difficult time. She made sure I was comfortable, explained everything clearly, answered all my questions, and most importantly, made sure I never felt alone. It amazes me how someone can just meet a person and make them feel so much better just by being there. It meant the world to me.”

There were six other outstanding nominees for the DAISY Award: Mayra Abraham, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, Labor & Delivery Staff Nurse III; Ruth Andrews, MSN, RN, Mother/Baby Staff Nurse II; Roberto Torres Ortiz, BSN, RN, Med Surg Staff Nurse II; Shannon Sandoval, BSN, RN, Heart Center Staff Nurse II; Gabriela “Gabby” Serrano, BSN, RN, CCRN, Surgery Staff Nurse II; and Esteban Viorato, BSN, RN, PCCN, Observation Care Unit Staff Nurse II.

Each month, Salinas Valley Health recognizes an outstanding nurse with a DAISY Award (for nurses) and a STAR Award (for all staff). The DAISY Award is an international program that honors nurses for their extraordinary compassion, outstanding clinical skills, and personalized care, established by the DAISY Foundation. The STAR Award is a recognition program created by Salinas Valley Health incorporating the organization’s core values of Support, Teamwork, Accountability, and Respect to highlight staff serving our patients, community, and each other with extraordinary results. Nominations are submitted by patients, visitors, and staff. To learn more about the awards, visit SalinasValleyHealth.com/nomination.