December 2020
Amy
Garcia
,
BSN, RN
ICU
Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center

 

 

 

Her direct reports and colleagues hold Amy in high regard and know they can always approach her with any concerns or ideas.
Amy Garcia is the Manager for ICU at KP Santa Rosa. Amy began her career as a staff nurse on the telemetry unit where she was hired as a new graduate. Through the years, Amy has advanced her career as a nurse leader by cross-training into the ICU, leading many clinical initiatives to improve care in her unit, and then advancing to the role of an ANM. Amy's dedication to the ICU and the overall wellbeing of the staff and patients has led to a culture of safety and professionalism within the Adult Services division. Amy served as a founding member and co-chair of the ICU Comprehensive Unit-Based Safety Program (CUSP) team and helped to engage the multidisciplinary team to use quality and safety data to enhance outcomes through evidence-based practices. She has worked on projects to help families and loved ones cope with the tragedy of having a family member in critical condition by instituting the iPad Patient Connect program for families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most recently, Amy helped to coordinate a plan for a family who was all admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 to share the same room so they could be together in their final hours.
Amy's leadership skills are notable. She can navigate complex situations with positivity and grace and ensures that all voices are heard, most importantly those of the patients. She represents the Adult Services team on the Nursing Quality Forum, where she is able to hear concerns and explore collaborative approaches, while simultaneously focusing the group on the organization's mission and priorities. She is adept at bringing safety issues forward to the leadership team and other stakeholders for follow-up to ensure ongoing risk mitigation. She regularly speaks up in the Daily Safety Briefing to share lessons learned from the ICU or to raise concerns that need to be addressed. Her direct reports and colleagues hold Amy in high regard and know they can always approach her with any concerns or ideas, and she will ensure timely and thorough follow-up. Amy is in the process of obtaining her MSN, further modeling the importance of ongoing educational and professional development.
Amy is highly deserving of the DAISY Nurse Leader Award as she leads her team with authenticity, compassion, and persistence. Although Santa Rosa is blessed with a strong leadership team, Amy truly stands out as a bright star. We are fortunate to work alongside her in service to our patients, community, and care teams.