Kayla Sanders, RN, was recognized as Montrose Regional Health’s first ever DAISY Award winner.
MONTROSE, CO – It was a normal Wednesday evening for Kayla Sanders, RN at Montrose Regional Health’s Family Center. She was working her shift at the Family Center as she would any other evening, helping parents bring new babies into the world. Little did she know she was about to become the hospital’s first ever DAISY award recipient.
At the monthly staff meeting that evening, Kayla was surprised to be presented with her DAISY award statue and DAISY pin by her colleagues and the patient who nominated her. Photos from the occasion show Kayla in tears at being given the honor.
“It was shocking,” said Kayla, who wasn’t expecting to be named the awardee. “But I was grateful. It was very rewarding.”
Montrose Regional Health has always recognized its caregivers with various programs, such as the Five Star Card recognition system and the Key Contributor Award to recognize employees who embody excellence and other hospital values. But the DAISY award is different: a nursing-specific award recognized across the industry with a reputation for identifying nurses who are truly above board at what they do. Most DAISY nominations come from community members who experienced great care to the extent they want to go the extra mile to recognize the key person who provided them a great patient experience.
Kayla is a sympathetic nurse, often thinking about the experience from the patient’s perspective. Kayla suggests this is probably because of her own experience as a patient: nine years ago, Kayla was riding trails on an ATV in Gateway, Colorado when the vehicle overturned. It ruptured her trachea. She spent approximately four weeks in a hospital bed, and three of those weeks on a ventilator. “I think there is more empathy there when you’ve been in a tough situation and your life depends on the care of others,” Kayla says. Although painful and challenging, living through the experience gave her a different perspective about what patients are feeling when they are in the hospital. “I try to make them as comfortable as possible. It’s what I strive to do each day.”
Now, Kayla is recovered from her hospital stay and is excelling at making patients feel at ease during theirs. She is not only the hospital’s first DAISY award winner, but she is also living the dream. “My goal as a child was to be a labor and delivery nurse,” says Kayla. Her mom was Dr. Gilham’s delivery nurse, and she remembers being in the hospital setting from a young age. She never could have guessed she would later be named the hospital’s first DAISY award winner and earn her new nickname from colleagues, “Miss Daisy.”
About Montrose Regional Health (www.MontroseHealth.com)
Montrose Regional Health is a 501(c)3 nonprofit healthcare system serving Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray, Gunnison, Delta, Hinsdale and San Juan counties. The hospital is licensed for 75-beds and offers an extensive range of inpatient & outpatient health care services, including cardiology, oncology, minimally invasive surgery, laboratory, medical imaging/radiology, Mountain View Therapy, Level III Trauma Center, Acute Rehabilitation Unit, advanced respiratory & pulmonary services, and the family birthing center. The health system has a reputation for acquiring the latest technologies in healthcare, from robotic assisted surgical services to UVC-disinfection technology. Montrose Regional Health is the second-largest employer in Montrose County, with more than 700 employees and 100 providers who represent 23 medical specialties. With a tagline that reads Caring for you like family, the health system is known for its warm patient care.