Without a doubt, Kia is a true DAISY Leader. She steps up and takes on additional duties and responsibilities. This took time away from her family (young children/babies), but she focused on Prisma Health Baptist and her service line. She values excellence and commitment, to every patient, every teammate, and challenges herself to grow and learn. Her stepping up was a stretch beyond her scope, but with pride she raised her hand and pushed her team to be better. Being better comes from her professional ways, great communication, and passion for excellence. She is a role model.

I remember hearing her talk to the staff who were trying to take short cuts and she reminded that the patient is someone's mother. It could be their mother, and explaining the why for safety and quality. She has a positive attitude. A can-do attitude. She excels in building a team on a strong foundation of trust, mutual respect, and support. This leader sees beyond her unit and service line. She can be bringing candy to Ortho, because they pulled patients from the PACU. The upstream and downstream, big picture is a part of her daily work and fostering of patient excellence.

Despite turnover, she maintains a solid core team and she herself steps up in staffing, daily covers lunches, and is there to support the team. She supports the team with Shared Governance. Under her leadership, they have started a peri-op unit council, and engages the direct clinical staff to come together to advance nursing practice. She is active in the community and proud to wear her name badge and scrubs in public. Her passion and commitment are solid and she is Prisma Health Proud! She exemplifies the true characteristics of a DAISY Leader each and every day and in each way! Thank you for your role model excellence and being the difference.