Sandy Peterson
January 2025
Sandy
Peterson
,
BSN, RN, CPN
Surgical Unit
Rady Children's Hospital
San Diego
,
CA
United States
Sandy has always been open to helping her staff problem solve. Her patience and kindness she provides her staff reminds us that we can always come to her with any issues, good or bad.
Sandy has been the manager of 3 East for many years, and as our leader, she has always been calm, fair, and appreciative. This year has been a challenge for all nursing staff here, and I feel like the impact was especially challenging for our managers. Sandy was forced to reschedule our many nursing shifts from 12-hour to 8-hour schedules, a frustrating process that went on for several weeks. She was faced with training temporary staff. She has been required to come in and work as a charge nurse on 3 East when staffing was not adequate. We have had some patient situations on 3 East, unlike any we have had in the past, and Sandy has always made herself available. It has been very reassuring for me, as one of the nurses who has been here for many years, to have Sandy as our manager to support the unit through thick and thin. Sandy is always professional and accountable.
***
I am honored to nominate Sandy Petersen for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. She consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership through her commitment to both patient and staff well-being. Sandy fosters an environment of collaboration and trust, empowering her nurses to provide high-quality care while encouraging professional growth. Beyond day-to-day responsibilities, she actively engages in improving systems for her unit, ensuring that our team has the resources and support needed to succeed. Sandy's ability to listen, guide, and inspire others fosters our unique unit culture where excellence is the standard, and nurses feel valued and motivated. This is what sets Sandy apart from other Nurse Leaders. Her leadership style encourages open communication, accountability, and a shared sense of purpose among the nursing staff, making her an invaluable asset to our 3 East Team and the overall RCHSD organization. For all these reasons, I believe Sandy Petersen truly exemplifies the values of the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.
***
Sandy does her job as our manager with care and compassion for us as nurses. There is something to say about the retention of the nurses on 3 East, as well as our morale and camaraderie - it's because of her! She cares about us as nurses and people, and that is a beautiful quality to have as a manager.
***
Sandy has always been open to helping her staff problem solve. Her patience and kindness she provides her staff reminds us that we can always come to her with any issues, good or bad.
***
Sandy is our unit manager and an amazing leader on our unit. She has been here for a long time and has a lot of experience. She is always helpful and on top of her work. She helps the rest of the staff stay up to date with our tasks as well. She is friendly, positive, and organized. She is also not afraid to support us nurses when we have difficult assignments or families. She wants to help her staff however possible, including advancement opportunities, scheduling conflicts, education opportunities, and even fills in as charge nurse when our unit is short on nurses. She is an outstanding asset to this hospital!
***
Sandy hired me 19 years ago as a new grad RN. She surrounded me with the most wonderful, supportive group of nurses who made it easy to stay at Rady's and who inspired me to always do my best and provide excellent care. Our team culture on 3 East is largely credited to her abilities as a leader. She is always the first to stand up for our nurses and make sure everyone is treated fairly. She welcomes feedback and makes every team member feel like their opinion matters. She has supported me through many life changes, marriage, children, moves, job changes, position changes, and a master's degree. I can honestly say she has been the most impactful person I have encountered in my career here at Rady Children's. She will be retiring next year after 35+ years of service.
***
I am honored to nominate Sandy Petersen for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. She consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership through her commitment to both patient and staff well-being. Sandy fosters an environment of collaboration and trust, empowering her nurses to provide high-quality care while encouraging professional growth. Beyond day-to-day responsibilities, she actively engages in improving systems for her unit, ensuring that our team has the resources and support needed to succeed. Sandy's ability to listen, guide, and inspire others fosters our unique unit culture where excellence is the standard, and nurses feel valued and motivated. This is what sets Sandy apart from other Nurse Leaders. Her leadership style encourages open communication, accountability, and a shared sense of purpose among the nursing staff, making her an invaluable asset to our 3 East Team and the overall RCHSD organization. For all these reasons, I believe Sandy Petersen truly exemplifies the values of the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.
***
Sandy does her job as our manager with care and compassion for us as nurses. There is something to say about the retention of the nurses on 3 East, as well as our morale and camaraderie - it's because of her! She cares about us as nurses and people, and that is a beautiful quality to have as a manager.
***
Sandy has always been open to helping her staff problem solve. Her patience and kindness she provides her staff reminds us that we can always come to her with any issues, good or bad.
***
Sandy is our unit manager and an amazing leader on our unit. She has been here for a long time and has a lot of experience. She is always helpful and on top of her work. She helps the rest of the staff stay up to date with our tasks as well. She is friendly, positive, and organized. She is also not afraid to support us nurses when we have difficult assignments or families. She wants to help her staff however possible, including advancement opportunities, scheduling conflicts, education opportunities, and even fills in as charge nurse when our unit is short on nurses. She is an outstanding asset to this hospital!
***
Sandy hired me 19 years ago as a new grad RN. She surrounded me with the most wonderful, supportive group of nurses who made it easy to stay at Rady's and who inspired me to always do my best and provide excellent care. Our team culture on 3 East is largely credited to her abilities as a leader. She is always the first to stand up for our nurses and make sure everyone is treated fairly. She welcomes feedback and makes every team member feel like their opinion matters. She has supported me through many life changes, marriage, children, moves, job changes, position changes, and a master's degree. I can honestly say she has been the most impactful person I have encountered in my career here at Rady Children's. She will be retiring next year after 35+ years of service.