Salinas Valley Health Nurse Receives DAISY Award for Patient Care Advocacy

Salinas, CA — A nurse at Salinas Valley Health was determined to honor a patient’s wishes and her compassionate persistence resulted in the DAISY Award for nursing excellence.

Anna Gonzalez, RN, Staff Nurse II in Telemetry/1-Main says her advocacy is the kind of care that is delivered every day at the Medical Center and something she has been doing since she began her nursing career at the organization more than 21 years ago. In this instance, Gonzalez ensured a patient had the spiritual guidance she requested before transiting to comfort care. 

The nomination, submitted by Edlin Valdez, RN, with support from Dr. Jamie Gonzalez, reads in part, “Dr. Gonzalez had ordered comfort care for a patient. The caveat was that the patient agreed to comfort care only after having her final rites. When Anna arrived on the night shift, a priest had not been secured. Without Anna’s relentless pursuit for the patient’s final wishes, the patient would not have been able to rest comfortably.”

Gonzalez shared that she contacted every Catholic church in Salinas before finally reaching someone at Spreckles Catholic Church who connected her with a priest willing to come to the hospital that evening. “I kept being told no one was available,” the DAISY Award recipient explained. “I just kept pressing until I found someone.” She added, “I am very surprised by the recognition. I just feel like it is something we do. We all advocate for our patients and that is what I did.”

Once the priest arrived and administered the final rites, there was a sense of peace for the patient and family. The priest later shared that he was grateful to be of service.

For Gonzalez, her work is simple and deeply personal. “I like having the ability to help people in my community,” the long time nurse said. “This is my community. My family comes here. I love that both of my daughters also work here.”

In addition to this recipient, other DAISY Award nominees recognized for their compassionate, patient-centered care include Isela Andalon, BSN, RNC-OB, Staff Nurse III, Labor & Delivery; Yesenia Contreras, BSN, RN, Staff Nurse II, ICU/CCU; Javier Cortez, BSN, RN, Staff Nurse II, Med Surg; Hayley Fernandez, MSN, RN, Staff Nurse II, Labor & Delivery; Angelica Gomez, BSN, RNC-MNN, Staff Nurse III, Mother/Baby; Tyler Hays, RN, Staff Nurse II, Surgery; Sandra Martinez, RN, Staff Nurse II, ICU/CCU; Stephanie Medina, RN, Staff Nurse II, Oncology; Sheryl Randazzo, BSN, RN-BC, Staff Nurse II, Telemetry Towers; and Kelly Yoshimura, RN, Staff Nurse II, Emergency Department.

The DAISY Award is part of an international recognition program celebrating the clinical excellence and compassionate care nurses provide every day. At Salinas Valley Health, the DAISY Award is presented alongside the organization’s STAR Award program, which recognizes employees across all departments who demonstrate the organizations core values of Support, Teamwork, Accountability, and Respect.

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843