Salinas Valley Health Nurse Receives First Daisy Award of 2022

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
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One of the happiest places in any hospital is the mother-baby unit and yet it can be a scary time for expectant mothers. A nurse at Salinas Valley Health who responded to the emotional and physical needs of a new mother is the first 2022 recipient of the Hospital’s DAISY Award, a national recognition given to nurses for extraordinary care.

Colleagues of Adrienne Leyva, RN gathered on the Labor and Delivery Unit at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center for a ceremony recognizing Adrienne’s compassionate care with the prestigious DAISY award. A patient who gave birth last year at the hospital took time to nominate Adrienne for the honor because she felt Adrienne filled in the gaps of preparation the pandemic prevented her from receiving in more traditional educational channels.

The new mother wrote, “As a first-time mom and being pregnant during COVID, my husband and I were unable to attend any prenatal classes prior to my delivery. Needless to say, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. Adrienne was very calm, and patient with us and coached us through the whole process.”

The patient went on to express her appreciation to Adrienne for holding her hand, providing comfort and making her birthing experience a positive one. Adrienne humbly accepted the DAISY Award certificate, healing touch statue and other gifts associated with the recognition. "Any one of you could be standing here with this award,” Adrienne Leyva, RN said. “We are a great team and it takes teamwork to take good care of our patients."

Irene Alridge, RN II in Surgery and Sandra Cohon, RN in Employee Health also received DAISY Award nominations for their roles in providing exceptional care.

Salinas Valley Health established important employee recognition programs in 2015 and every month honors two extraordinary employees, one with a DAISY Award (for nurses) and another with a STAR Award (for all staff). STAR stands for the Salinas Valley Health values of Support, Teamwork, Accountability and Respect. Nominations can be submitted by patients, visitors and staff. Nomination forms and drop boxes are located throughout the medical center and online. To learn more about the awards visit Nurse Recognition | Salinas Valley Health or STAR Award | Monterey County Health System (salinasvalleyhealth.com).