DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses
DAISY Award honorees personify Palmdale Regional Medical Center's remarkable patient experience. These nurses consistently demonstrate excellence through their clinical expertise and extraordinary compassionate care, and they are recognized as outstanding role models in our nursing community.
What is The DAISY Award?
The DAISY Award is a program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses every day. PRMC is proud to be a DAISY Award Hospital Partner, recognizing one of our nurses with this special honor every month or quarter. To find out more about the program, including the growing list of Hospital Partners, please go to www.DAISYfoundation.org.
About The DAISY Foundation
The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died of complications of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) at the age of 33. (DAISY is an acronym for diseases attacking the immune system.) During Pat's eight week hospitalization, his family was awestruck by the care and compassion his nurses provided not only to Pat but to everyone in his family. So one of the goals they set in creating a Foundation in Pat's memory was to recognize extraordinary nurses everywhere who make an enormous difference in the lives of so many people by the super-human work they do everyday.
Current Recipients
Heather LeBlanc
I've been a nurse for 7yrs, all of which have been here at PRMC. I worked for 6yrs. on the Telemetry unit and 1 year in ICU. What I love about nursing is the ability and opportunity to make a difference in another person's life, especially during a time when they may be at their lowest and most vulnerable. As a nurse, I have the opportunity to help patients and their families make some of the most important decisions of their lives and they put their trust and faith in me to help facilitate transitioning through their medical treatment. This is an honor and privilege and is not taken lightly. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, learning new recipes, riding my bike and working in my yard...just to name a few things.
Hansel Ignacio
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: 19 years
Number of years on current specialty: Less than one year
What do you love most about nursing: Helping out others
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: Sculpting, art, entertaining friends at home, book club
Natasha Lynch
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: I have worked for PRMC for more than six years. I started in PCU and have worked in ICU for the past year.
Number of years on current specialty: One
What do you love most about nursing: I like the diversity of our surrounding community and the patients I meet. I want to make a difference in their lives.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: I enjoy traveling, reading, and puzzles!
Adriana Lopez
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: I have worked for PRMC for eight years. I started as a new grad RN in the ICU in 2010.
Number of years on current specialty: Eight
What do you love most about nursing: The thing I love most about nursing is being able to serve and care for others during their time of need and also seeing patients recover and go home after their illness.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: When I am not at work, I enjoy jogging, hiking and camping. I also love to read!
Kim Rosales
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: I have worked for PRMC as a nurse for two years on the Joint/Spine Unit.
Number of years on current specialty: Two
What do you love most about nursing: What I love about nursing is that I can help and hopefully make a difference in my patients’ lives! My dream nursing job is pediatrics.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: I love to be with my nephews and nieces when not working.
Cat Solares
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: I have worked as a nurse for four years at Palmdale Regional in the PCU (three years) and ICU (one year).
Number of years on current specialty: One
What do you love most about nursing: I love helping patients and their families. I love trying to make one of the worst days of their lives just a bit better.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: When I am not working, I like to hang out with my family! We enjoy taking family trips and visiting other family and friends.
Nancy Boggs
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: I have worked for Palmdale Regional since its opening.
Number of years on current specialty: Since 1978
What do you love most about nursing: I love helping the patients and their families and helping to relieve some of their anxiety. I like them to leave the hospital knowing that we care and did our best in caring for their loved ones.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: I enjoy traveling and visiting my grandbabies, Rowan, Corbin and Serenity.
"... you helped more than you'll ever know, and whenever you feel burned out or at the end of your collective rope, please remember that you DO make a difference and that what you do matters to more people than you'll ever know."
Laveria Dent
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: Five and a half years
Number of years on current specialty: 26 years in ICU
What do you love most about nursing: I love to give quality care that will minister to the patient’s body, soul and spirit to promote a return to a healthy state so that they are able to return home to their families.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: I am an ordained minister. I enjoy assisting with programs to feed the hungry and homeless and provide clothing to the less fortunate. I am currently developing a program to minister to the needs of victims of domestic violence and currently studying for a doctorate degree in ministry. I like to read and to sew and I do gardening.
"... you helped more than you'll ever know, and whenever you feel burned out or at the end of your collective rope, please remember that you DO make a difference and that what you do matters to more people than you'll ever know."
Shannon Dopp
Number of years working as an RN: Two years
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: One and a half years
Number of years on current specialty: One and a half years (Medical/Surgery Unit)
What do you love most about nursing: "I love that I have the ability to bond with my patients and their family members. Every case is different, but caring for them during their most vulnerable times has made me become a better, more well-rounded individual. I look at every patient as if they were a member of my family. I have learned so much in a relatively short period of time."
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: "I love being with my boyfriend and I am very close to my parents so I try to spend time with them. I also enjoy working out at my gym Hardcore Fitness. That place is a huge stress relief for me."
Lyndi Vela
Number of years working as an RN: Three years
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: Nearly two years
Number of years on current specialty: Lyndi has been a nurse in the PRMC ICU since the start of her employment.
What do you love most about nursing: Lyndi says, "I love my patients. Caring for them and seeing them get better makes every day worthwhile."
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: Hiking, reading, traveling, concerts and zip lining
"Care, focused, devoted, very loving and represents herself with humbleness and loyalty to her job. We, the family, are amazed at the quality of service she gives. She put 100% into our loved one and won our hearts!"
OR and AS Staff
Members of the Operating Room (OR) and Administrative Supervisor (AS) staff were nominated for The Daisy Award for their exceptional care during an emergency situation with a patient in flash pulmonary edema. Members of the staff worked frantically to stabilize the patient's respiratory status and completed multiple rounds of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocol. After 45 minutes and exhausting most of the medications in the crash cart, there was no improvement in the patient.
When the emergency room physician and primary surgeon went to speak with the patient's family, an OR technician discovered a weak pulse on the patient, who was no longer being ventilated. The staff returned to the OR and performed another round of CPR and ALCS protocol. They also gave the patient a medication for pulmonary hypertension. There was an immediate response and the flash pulmonary edema began to subside. The patient finally stabilized and was transported to the ICU.
After spending a few months in the ICU, the patient was transferred to a rehab facility and is now back to work!
Eric Stott
Number of years working as an RN: I've been an RN for nearly 9 years, but have worked a variety of jobs in the Healthcare industry dating back to 1989. Prior to achieving my RN licensure, I worked as an LPN in a CV/Trauma ICU for 15 years. It was a great experience and provided a myriad of opportunities for learning. After I earned my RN, I worked as an adjunct clinical instructor in the ICU setting for Northern Michigan University for 1 year. I worked as a travel RN for a couple of years, but decided that I really missed being part of a team, so I returned to a staff RN position.
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: Just over 2 years.
Number of years on current specialty: I've worked various jobs in nursing, but my focus has been in Critical Care for about 22 years.
What do you love most about nursing: The best thing about Nursing is helping good people through bad times. A close second is helping empower family members who feel powerless when their loved one falls ill by teaching them things they can do to help in a given situation.
When you are not at work what do you enjoy doing: In my time off from work I enjoy thinking about my next day at work...just kidding. I enjoy travel. I really like not knowing where I'll be on my next stretch of days off until I'm headed there.
Diane Morrow
Number of years working as an RN: I have been an RN for 40 years. I started my career in 1975 on a busy med/surg unit at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks. I experienced the first and only doctor's strike in my career where Pediatricians were striking for unknown reasons to this new grad nurse. So, the pediatric ward closed and the babies and toddlers were moved to my med/surg floor; some monitored, some not. This fueled my desire to expand my knowledge into critical care. I returned to Lancaster Commmunity Hospital (I had worked there as a CNA on the surgical ward from 1973-1975) and then Palmdale Regional Medical Center was built and Lancaster Community Hospital and its staff moved into this new facility.
Number of years working for Palmdale Regional: I worked as CNA for 2 years while obtaining my RN license (1973-1975). I then returned in 1976 as an RN in the newly opened Critical Care Unit at Lancaster Community Hospital, now Palmdale Regional Medical Center.
Number of Years on Current Specialty: 39 years in Critical Care.
What do you love most about nursing: My entire life I have wanted to be a nurse. When I was a little girl, I would care for the neighborhood baby birds falling from the trees, warm the eggs, and allow the hatching of new life. I would feed the baby birds with eye droppers and teach them to fly. I loved to nurture. My passion for nursing drives my compassion along with safe and quality care. Compassion is an essential component of nursing care and it is expected by the public. My observations are that technology and tasks are a part of the modern nurse's daily routine. I feel blessed that I was able to begin my nursing career with an emphasis of compassion. I treat my patients as if they are my family or friend. I teach the staff that every patient is a VIP - they are someone's father, brother, uncle, husband, or co-worker. I have an opportunity to deliver excellence at one of life's most critical moments during a patient's illness. I have met some beautiful people along my career path and many of my patients and physicians have become my friends. I love nursing today as much as I did 40 years ago. I attempt to make a difference, even if it be small, each day I work. I have strived to impart my compassion with the staff by my actions and by beginning our shifts with "Every day may not be a good day, but there is good in every day."
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: Nursing is my passion, but the love of my life is my family. I enjoy doing anything and everything as long as it includes family. I also love to travel. We have a motorhome and enjoy the quietness of camping with family and friends. I have bee married 40 years and have 3 grown children who are my best friends. I also have 3 grandchildren that fill my love bucket. I have lived a full and blessed life.
Past Recipients
The Telemetry Unit
For the first time, the coveted DAISY Award has been given to an entire department: Telemetry! The Telemetry Unit was nominated for the staff's tireless efforts and constant caring of a special needs patient who visited the unit regularly over the past year, sometimes staying for weeks. As challenging as the situation sometimes became, the Telemetry Unit staff came through every time. At holidays, they even decorated the patient’s room and consistently went above and beyond their normal duties in many ways to ensure the patient felt as ‘at home’ as possible. As is the case with all of their patients, they strive to give the best possible care to every patient every time and especially to those patients who need that extra touch.
May Ronci
Number of years as RN: 4
Number of years working at Palmdale Regional: 4
Number of years on current specialty (ICU): 4
What do you love most about nursing: Being able to make a difference not only for patients, but family members as well.
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: I love to hike. I go to the gym in the morning before work. I love Disneyland — “the happiest place on earth” especially — and my friends and my daughter.
Donna Singledecker
Number of years as RN: 23
Number of years working at Palmdale Regional: 3.5
Number of years on current specialty (Tele): 16
What do you love most about nursing: One thing that I love most about nursing is interacting with patients and families. Sometimes it can be a challenge finding ways to get through to them, but I have always enjoyed developing that relationship and hearing them say at the end of the day, “you have been a wonderful nurse, thank you.”
When you are not at work, what do you enjoy doing: I enjoy spending time with my family and doing fun things together like going to the beach in the summertime and skiing in the winter time.