Diane Lozano
September 2024
Diane
Lozano
,
BSN, RN
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles
,
CA
United States
Diane would do nice and kind things for our son all the time during special occasions and during the holidays. She celebrated his 6-month birthday with us and decorated his NICU crib.
On behalf of my wife, I am writing to nominate Diane Lozano-Hurtado for the DAISY Award. Diane always went above and beyond for my son and our family during my son’s stay at Kaiser Sunset in LA. My son, J, was born three months early due to my wife having pre-eclampsia during her 3rd trimester and my son being born with an omphalocele. We live in Orange County, and due to his prematurity complications, J had to be delivered in LA. We drove back and forth from Orange County to LA every other day to be there for our son.
My son spent over 218+ days in the hospital, with over 6+ months mainly being in the NICU. Diane chose to be J’s first primary as well as being his main day primary. Everything was new to us, being new parents, as well as all our son’s birth challenges. Every complication that came up: omphalocele, hernias, collapsed lung, 1st omphalocele surgery, possible tracheotomy surgery, etc. - Diane was there for it all. Not only did she medically explain what was going on with J along with the primary NICU doctor, Dr. R, but she was also there for us emotionally as she knew the road we were going through.
She was always straightforward and honest with us but also kind and empathetic. She didn’t sugar-coat anything but explained both the pros and cons of each decision and situation. It’s a rare trait to be able to lead strangers through the lowest and most difficult times in their lives, not really knowing much about them. Yet, she was able to give us strength and build our confidence throughout the whole process. We spent 6+ months in the NICU, and by the time our son graduated to PICU and Pediatrics, we went home in weeks. This was a testament to Diane training us on how to care for our son and educating us on everything we needed to know and what to do. So, by the time we had to go to the PICU, we, as his parents, knew how to care for him and just asked the nurses if we needed any help.
Diane would do nice and kind things for our son all the time during special occasions and during the holidays. She celebrated his 6-month birthday with us and decorated his NICU crib. Diane changed her days off and stayed extra on her shifts the days J had tough days and had his 1st omphalocele surgery. When we were debating whether J would need a tracheotomy surgery or if he could overcome it, Diane was the one who reached out to Dr. R and suggested that J be sent to PICU so we could be with him 24/7.
We knew he would either do really well or need the trach surgery. He ended up flying and doing really well with us staying with him 24/7, and he overcame the trach. We spent 6+ months in the NICU and only 3+ weeks in PICU and Pediatrics. It meant a lot to us that Diane was the one to walk J down to the operating room during his 1st omphalocele surgery and that she was also the one to walk him down to the NICU. We were able to say goodbye and thank all his nurses and doctors that helped him and us along our family’s journey.
Our son was a long-time member of the NICU, and he was one out of 4 babies that could have had a tracheotomy surgery, but luckily, he was able to avoid it. He went home on air but has recently graduated from pulmonology completely. He is growing and thriving. He was born as a micro preemie at about six months old, weighing about 1.5 pounds and about 1 foot. He is now 16 months old, about 15 lbs., and about 2 feet, 3+ inches.
He now has physical therapy, occupational therapy, feeding therapy, and a home nurse visit every week at our place to continue to work on his progress. J is thriving and living his best life thanks to Diane, Dr. R, J’s other primaries as well, and the exceptional NICU team at Kaiser Sunset. We try to visit whenever J has an appointment to see his surgeon, and everyone is always so happy to see J and his progress. J will still need a 2nd and 3rd surgery for his omphalocele and hernia this upcoming year in 2024.
But we are educated, strong, and confident in the Kaiser LA Sunset Team. We wouldn’t want our son to go anywhere else, thanks to the kind and awesome people like Diane. So, on behalf of the family, we would like to thank and proudly nominate Diane Lozano-Hurtado for the DAISY Award for 2023 for all her efforts for our son J and our family. She saved our son’s life; she will always be J’s DAISY Award winner in life.
Thank you for everything Diane, we love you!
My son spent over 218+ days in the hospital, with over 6+ months mainly being in the NICU. Diane chose to be J’s first primary as well as being his main day primary. Everything was new to us, being new parents, as well as all our son’s birth challenges. Every complication that came up: omphalocele, hernias, collapsed lung, 1st omphalocele surgery, possible tracheotomy surgery, etc. - Diane was there for it all. Not only did she medically explain what was going on with J along with the primary NICU doctor, Dr. R, but she was also there for us emotionally as she knew the road we were going through.
She was always straightforward and honest with us but also kind and empathetic. She didn’t sugar-coat anything but explained both the pros and cons of each decision and situation. It’s a rare trait to be able to lead strangers through the lowest and most difficult times in their lives, not really knowing much about them. Yet, she was able to give us strength and build our confidence throughout the whole process. We spent 6+ months in the NICU, and by the time our son graduated to PICU and Pediatrics, we went home in weeks. This was a testament to Diane training us on how to care for our son and educating us on everything we needed to know and what to do. So, by the time we had to go to the PICU, we, as his parents, knew how to care for him and just asked the nurses if we needed any help.
Diane would do nice and kind things for our son all the time during special occasions and during the holidays. She celebrated his 6-month birthday with us and decorated his NICU crib. Diane changed her days off and stayed extra on her shifts the days J had tough days and had his 1st omphalocele surgery. When we were debating whether J would need a tracheotomy surgery or if he could overcome it, Diane was the one who reached out to Dr. R and suggested that J be sent to PICU so we could be with him 24/7.
We knew he would either do really well or need the trach surgery. He ended up flying and doing really well with us staying with him 24/7, and he overcame the trach. We spent 6+ months in the NICU and only 3+ weeks in PICU and Pediatrics. It meant a lot to us that Diane was the one to walk J down to the operating room during his 1st omphalocele surgery and that she was also the one to walk him down to the NICU. We were able to say goodbye and thank all his nurses and doctors that helped him and us along our family’s journey.
Our son was a long-time member of the NICU, and he was one out of 4 babies that could have had a tracheotomy surgery, but luckily, he was able to avoid it. He went home on air but has recently graduated from pulmonology completely. He is growing and thriving. He was born as a micro preemie at about six months old, weighing about 1.5 pounds and about 1 foot. He is now 16 months old, about 15 lbs., and about 2 feet, 3+ inches.
He now has physical therapy, occupational therapy, feeding therapy, and a home nurse visit every week at our place to continue to work on his progress. J is thriving and living his best life thanks to Diane, Dr. R, J’s other primaries as well, and the exceptional NICU team at Kaiser Sunset. We try to visit whenever J has an appointment to see his surgeon, and everyone is always so happy to see J and his progress. J will still need a 2nd and 3rd surgery for his omphalocele and hernia this upcoming year in 2024.
But we are educated, strong, and confident in the Kaiser LA Sunset Team. We wouldn’t want our son to go anywhere else, thanks to the kind and awesome people like Diane. So, on behalf of the family, we would like to thank and proudly nominate Diane Lozano-Hurtado for the DAISY Award for 2023 for all her efforts for our son J and our family. She saved our son’s life; she will always be J’s DAISY Award winner in life.
Thank you for everything Diane, we love you!