Kathy Santos

I first met Kathy on December 2 or 3, 2010.  My elderly friend was a patient and Kathy spoke with (not to) me regarding my friend’s stay and discharge.  Kathy was an excellent communicator, both in her clinical skills and her compassionate care towards me, the patient’s family (via phone in West Virginia), and the patient.  She had a special glow and spark in her eyes that truly expressed to me that she really cared.  I immediately liked her and trusted her.  She gave me a feeling of hope.

On January 1, 2011, my friend was once again admitted to Kaiser Hospital in Redwood City.  I had faith that my friend would recover and be able to return home quickly.  That faith was blessed by hope when I was greeted by name by Kathy.  She remembered my friend from the previous stay, and was able to talk with me about the patient’s “baseline” and how we both agreed that we now had a new baseline, unfortunately a decline in her overall health.  Kathy went and visited bedside with the patient and talked with her.  She gave the patient a physical touch on the hand/shoulder, and my friend knew that this Nurse was very special – she cared.

When I spoke with the patient’s son who lives in West Virginia, I gave him Kathy’s name.  Why?  Because she remembered the patient from her previous stay and she remembered me.  She stood out and exemplified the kind of Nurse that all patients and families hope get assigned to their loved ones.

On January 14, 2011, my friend was once again admitted to Kaiser Redwood City.  After being in the Emergency Department for 22 hours (January 13-14), she was moved to the 7^th Floor North.  I kept the faith but was slowly loosing my hope for my friend’s life.  I spent hours with her, both in Emergency and when she as admitted.

On Saturday morning, January 15^th, there was a ray of hope.  That ray of hope was once again Kathy Santos.  She was like an angel appearing before me again – Hope.  She talked to the patient to help evaluate her baseline once again.  We talked together, sustaining our relationship, and once again, showing compassion for the patient.  I was talking to the patient’s son in West Virginia and Kathy took time out of her busy schedule to talk with him.  When she had finished talking with him, she returned my phone.  The first thing that the son said to me was, “Where did you find her?  She is a real treasure, a gem.”

I don’t know when my friend will be able to go home.  One thing I do know is that Katherine Santos, R.N. will be working both on Saturday, January 15^th, and Sunday, January 16^th.  That gives me comfort, just knowing that she is here.

I not only want to nominate Kathy, but I want her to win.  She is so deserving of this award.  When I re-read the nomination form, Kathy passes all and more of the necessary valued qualities and attributes.  If I were to pull the petals from this very special daisy, it would be left with the one that clearly says, “She loves me.”

It is with this kind of compassionate and dedicated care that Kaiser Permanente and the DAISY Foundation award Kathy the DAISY Award.