Lizette Rodriguez
September 2024
Lizette
Rodriguez
,
BSN, RN
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles
,
CA
United States
Lizette changed her days off and stayed extra on her shifts the days J had tough days and had his 1st omphalocele surgery.
On behalf of my wife and son, I am writing to nominate Lizette Rodriguez for the DAISY Award. Lizette was always there 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 preeclampsia 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. Actually, Lizette had J on the first night since he was born and every shift ever since then. She chose to be J’s primary as well as his main Night primary. Everything was all new to us, being new parents, as well as all our son’s birth challenges. For every complication that came up: omphalocele, hernias, collapsed lung, 1st omphalocele surgery, possible tracheotomy surgery, etc., Lizette was there for us.
Unfortunately, we know that the night and overnight staff honestly don’t get the same level of appreciation since they don’t get to see all the parents all the time and all the visitors. But my wife M would call at night and in the mornings and Lizette would thoroughly explain J’s progress and educate us on any major complications and status updates. Lizette was always so nice and professional.
She was there for our son and for our family. Our son was always clean, smiling, and happy around her. And when things were tough, and we needed advice, like when J might have needed a tracheotomy surgery, the relationship and trust that Lizette had built with our son and us, we knew we would come to her for an honest and straightforward answer. And she did and helped us through the most difficult times of our lives as new parents. We spent 6+ months in the NICU, and by the time our son graduated to the PICU and Pediatrics, we went home in about weeks. This was a testament to Lizette training us on our son’s care and educating us on everything we needed to know how to do.
We fortunately got to spend time in the NICU during late, overnight, and early shifts, and Lizette took us through her nightly routine. She helped us by showing us how to give J a bath, his daily cleaning routine, and any common issues with his g tube. So, by the time we had to go to the PICU, we, as his parents, knew how to do all his care and just asked the nurses if we needed any help. Lizette would do nice and kind things for our son all the time during special occasions and during the holidays. She did special artwork of his feet for Valentine’s Day as well as other holidays. Lizette 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 could overcome it, Lizette and J’s day primary nurse were the ones that reached out to J’s primary NICU doctor, Dr. R, and suggested that J be sent to PICU so we could be with him 24/7.
We knew he would either do well or need the trach surgery. He ended up flying and doing well with us 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 Lizette had J on his first night in the NICU and that she was also there to walk him out of the NICU. We were able to say goodbye and thank all his nurses and doctors who helped him and us along our family’s journey.
The night shift is just as important as the day shift. It was a total team effort, and my son wouldn’t be where he is today without their help and support. 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 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 pounds, 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 Lizette, Dr. R, J’s other primaries as well as 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 going anywhere else, thanks to outgoing and thoughtful people like Lizette. On behalf of the family, we would like to thank and proudly nominate Lizette Rodriguez 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 to our family.
We appreciate everything you did for J and our family, Lizette! Thank you, and we love you!
Unfortunately, we know that the night and overnight staff honestly don’t get the same level of appreciation since they don’t get to see all the parents all the time and all the visitors. But my wife M would call at night and in the mornings and Lizette would thoroughly explain J’s progress and educate us on any major complications and status updates. Lizette was always so nice and professional.
She was there for our son and for our family. Our son was always clean, smiling, and happy around her. And when things were tough, and we needed advice, like when J might have needed a tracheotomy surgery, the relationship and trust that Lizette had built with our son and us, we knew we would come to her for an honest and straightforward answer. And she did and helped us through the most difficult times of our lives as new parents. We spent 6+ months in the NICU, and by the time our son graduated to the PICU and Pediatrics, we went home in about weeks. This was a testament to Lizette training us on our son’s care and educating us on everything we needed to know how to do.
We fortunately got to spend time in the NICU during late, overnight, and early shifts, and Lizette took us through her nightly routine. She helped us by showing us how to give J a bath, his daily cleaning routine, and any common issues with his g tube. So, by the time we had to go to the PICU, we, as his parents, knew how to do all his care and just asked the nurses if we needed any help. Lizette would do nice and kind things for our son all the time during special occasions and during the holidays. She did special artwork of his feet for Valentine’s Day as well as other holidays. Lizette 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 could overcome it, Lizette and J’s day primary nurse were the ones that reached out to J’s primary NICU doctor, Dr. R, and suggested that J be sent to PICU so we could be with him 24/7.
We knew he would either do well or need the trach surgery. He ended up flying and doing well with us 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 Lizette had J on his first night in the NICU and that she was also there to walk him out of the NICU. We were able to say goodbye and thank all his nurses and doctors who helped him and us along our family’s journey.
The night shift is just as important as the day shift. It was a total team effort, and my son wouldn’t be where he is today without their help and support. 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 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 pounds, 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 Lizette, Dr. R, J’s other primaries as well as 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 going anywhere else, thanks to outgoing and thoughtful people like Lizette. On behalf of the family, we would like to thank and proudly nominate Lizette Rodriguez 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 to our family.
We appreciate everything you did for J and our family, Lizette! Thank you, and we love you!