Ashley Sullivan
August 2025
Ashley
Sullivan
,
BSN, RN
Nursing Administration, Emergency Department
MountainView Regional Medical Center
Las Cruces
,
NM
United States
Because of Ashley, my grandfather and our family got the most precious gift of all: Time.
I’ve spent years in the trenches of healthcare, advocating for patients and doing everything I could to ensure they received timely, compassionate, and excellent care. But when my grandfather became the patient, I found myself on the other side – watching, waiting, and hoping someone would care for him the way I had cared for so many.
My grandfather, DS, was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy who retired after 23 years of service, and then went to work for over two decades as an electrical engineer for the Department of Defense, through Westinghouse and Northrop Grumman. Later in life, he became the primary caretaker for my grandmother and was the patriarch of our large, tight-knit family – a man of integrity, discipline, and deep love for those around him.
When he was hospitalized at Mimbres with fungal pneumonia, his condition declined rapidly. He needed a bronchoscopy, and an ICU transfer to MountainView was ordered. But I knew – through my clinical experience and my gut instinct – that he couldn’t afford to wait for the slow wheels of the system to turn. I called Mimbres and spoke with both the bedside nurse and the charge nurse. I was told the case manager would need to initiate the transfer. It was a weekend, and after multiple calls, I realized that the case manager wasn’t even working. I felt helpless, frustrated, and instinctively scared that my grandfather would slip through the cracks. I called the hospital and asked to speak with the ED charge nurse. That’s when I was connected with Ashley Sullivan, RN, BSN – and that’s when everything changed.
Ashley contacted the AOD and secured an ICU bed at MountainView. Then, she personally called Mimbres to walk the bedside nurse through initiating the transfer via the MountainView transfer line. She didn’t stop there – Ashley called the transfer line herself to confirm the process had been completed, and then she called me back to let me know the transfer was officially underway.
As soon as my grandfather made it to the ICU at MountainView, he compensated and spent months recovering. He was transferred to the LTAC and then to the Rehab of Southern New Mexico.
Because of Ashley, my grandfather and our family got the most precious gift of all: Time. Time to gather in communion with one another and time to say goodbye. Now, as we prepare to return to Maine for his burial, we’ve found ourselves in deep reflection – remembering the moments that mattered, and the people who made a difference. We could not close this chapter without acknowledging Ashley.
Though nearly two years have passed, we haven’t forgotten the impact of Ashley’s compassion and determination. We didn’t want her incredible service to be overlooked. Ashley didn’t just do her job – she went above and beyond. Ashley treated my grandfather as if he were a member of her family. In a system where so many patients can easily fall through the cracks, Ashley reached through the chaos and caught him. Her compassion, advocacy, and clinical excellence are the very essence of nursing – and everything the DAISY Award stands for.
Ashley Sullivan, RN, BSN, is the kind of nurse we all hope to be – and the kind every patient and family prays for in their most vulnerable moments. From the bottom of our hearts: Thank you, Ashley. We will always remember what you did for us. With deepest gratitude.
My grandfather, DS, was a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy who retired after 23 years of service, and then went to work for over two decades as an electrical engineer for the Department of Defense, through Westinghouse and Northrop Grumman. Later in life, he became the primary caretaker for my grandmother and was the patriarch of our large, tight-knit family – a man of integrity, discipline, and deep love for those around him.
When he was hospitalized at Mimbres with fungal pneumonia, his condition declined rapidly. He needed a bronchoscopy, and an ICU transfer to MountainView was ordered. But I knew – through my clinical experience and my gut instinct – that he couldn’t afford to wait for the slow wheels of the system to turn. I called Mimbres and spoke with both the bedside nurse and the charge nurse. I was told the case manager would need to initiate the transfer. It was a weekend, and after multiple calls, I realized that the case manager wasn’t even working. I felt helpless, frustrated, and instinctively scared that my grandfather would slip through the cracks. I called the hospital and asked to speak with the ED charge nurse. That’s when I was connected with Ashley Sullivan, RN, BSN – and that’s when everything changed.
Ashley contacted the AOD and secured an ICU bed at MountainView. Then, she personally called Mimbres to walk the bedside nurse through initiating the transfer via the MountainView transfer line. She didn’t stop there – Ashley called the transfer line herself to confirm the process had been completed, and then she called me back to let me know the transfer was officially underway.
As soon as my grandfather made it to the ICU at MountainView, he compensated and spent months recovering. He was transferred to the LTAC and then to the Rehab of Southern New Mexico.
Because of Ashley, my grandfather and our family got the most precious gift of all: Time. Time to gather in communion with one another and time to say goodbye. Now, as we prepare to return to Maine for his burial, we’ve found ourselves in deep reflection – remembering the moments that mattered, and the people who made a difference. We could not close this chapter without acknowledging Ashley.
Though nearly two years have passed, we haven’t forgotten the impact of Ashley’s compassion and determination. We didn’t want her incredible service to be overlooked. Ashley didn’t just do her job – she went above and beyond. Ashley treated my grandfather as if he were a member of her family. In a system where so many patients can easily fall through the cracks, Ashley reached through the chaos and caught him. Her compassion, advocacy, and clinical excellence are the very essence of nursing – and everything the DAISY Award stands for.
Ashley Sullivan, RN, BSN, is the kind of nurse we all hope to be – and the kind every patient and family prays for in their most vulnerable moments. From the bottom of our hearts: Thank you, Ashley. We will always remember what you did for us. With deepest gratitude.