I would like to enthusiastically nominate Norma Reyes of CSICU for the prestigious DAISY Award, as she is the epitome of what a nurse should be at Nightingale's standards.  She embodies integrity by being honest with patients, family members, nurses, providers, management, and all other staff members. When she makes a mistake, she owns up to it, and she is very tactful and compassionate while being honest.  She is dependable and rarely ever calls out. She treats everyone with respect and consideration regardless of their physical and mental abilities or unique circumstances. She holds herself accountable for her mistakes and puts forth the effort to right the wrongs of error documentation or incomplete assignments. Norma gives credit to others for their efforts, including this organization. She often compliments us for what we do to improve morale on the unit. She is known for upholding policies and rules. She is always saying, let me be the "bad guy" when family members or patients are not adhering to the hospital policy or rules. She demonstrates integrity by offering a helping hand to staff and to other units. She assists in transferring patients, peri care, turns, admissions, discharge, and taking reports. Whenever the unit is short-staffed, she takes the time to address stressful situations calmly and rationally while treating everyone with respect.
 
Commitment is another remarkable attribute of Norma. I have witnessed her going above and beyond the call of duty to provide compassionate care and support to every patient she encounters. She never hesitates to dedicate extra time and effort to meet the unique needs of each individual, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being. For example, Norma has been known to buy a patient a meal or drink of their choice when the hospital food doesn’t suit their pallet. She would comb patients’ hair and make sure they have a warm washcloth to wipe their hands with prior to a meal or to wash their face in the morning. 

As an advocate, Norma truly shines. She consistently champions the rights and best interests of the patient and the nurses she is in charge of, ensuring that the patient receives optimal care and treatment and that nurses are provided a safe, optimal environment to work. She will advocate for safe nurse-to-patient ratios daily. She actively engages in effective communication with the healthcare team and collaborates with them to ensure that the patient’s concerns and preferences are heard and respected. 

Respect is the hallmark of Norma's interactions with both patients and colleagues. She treats every individual with kindness, empathy, and dignity, regardless of their background or condition. Her ability to actively listen and understand the unique needs and perspectives of others fosters an environment of inclusivity and compassion.

Norma consistently demonstrates excellence in every aspect of her nursing practice. She exhibits an unparalleled level of clinical expertise, which is reflected in her ability to provide safe, evidence-based, and high-quality care. She stays up to date with the latest advancements in the field, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care based on the latest research and guidelines, and then shares her findings with staff. 

Norma has proven to be an exemplary nurse who consistently upholds the values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence. Her unwavering dedication to providing outstanding patient-centered care is truly inspiring to me and other nurses. Norma is highly deserving of the DAISY Award, and she represents the epitome of what it means to be a compassionate and skilled nurse.