Grace Figalan
May 2025
Grace
Figalan
,
RN IV
Unit B
RUHS
Riverside
,
CA
United States
During weekends, she would often give haircuts to our patients and initiate recreational therapy sessions, such as dancing and music.
I am honored to nominate Grace Figalan - RN Charge Nurse in Unit B for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. I've been working with Grace for more than 16 years, and I must say that she exemplifies the qualities of an extraordinary nurse leader, whose dedication and resilience inspire everyone around her. Her tireless hard work and commitment to excellent patient care are truly commendable and have made a lasting impact on our team.
Working in an acute psychiatric unit and taking care of 28 patients can really be challenging. However, when Grace is around, we feel safe and confident that work will get done. Despite the fact that our patients may present with unpredictable and aggressive behaviors, Grace has the ability to decide quickly and critically. She delegates tasks to her team members fairly, appropriately, and effectively. Safety for everyone is her number one priority. She stands by her work principle of "No Nurse left behind" which reflects the importance of unity, support, and inclusivity.
She would start her day with a morning huddle with her team, then do her rounds in our unit, meeting and greeting each patient with a smile. If she sees patients who need help with their ADLs, she would gladly assist them with showers and hygiene activities. During weekends, she would often give haircuts to our patients and initiate recreational therapy sessions, such as dancing and music. She advocates for a safer placement for the patient as needed. She ensures that safety protocols as well as infection control are consistently implemented in our unit.
Grace inspires our team to strive for excellence every time she comes to work, ensuring that both small and significant achievements are acknowledged and celebrated. She also patiently mentored new nurses and has trained new charge nurses successfully.
Grace is the type of leader who walks the walk- leads by example. She consistently shows a positive attitude and a proactive mindset toward any change, whether it be a new workflow or a new system. She will never complain; instead, she will learn patiently and excitedly share her learnings with her team.
She may not be aware of this, but part of where I am today is because of her. She helped me push myself to grow, to challenge myself, and to believe in my own potential.
Through her patience and wisdom, she has taught me and my peers invaluable lessons—not just about skills or knowledge, but also about character, resilience, and empathy. I, along with our team, will always be forever grateful to her.
G-Genuine and Generous
R-Resilient
A-Adaptable
C-Compassionate
E- Empathetic
Note: This is Grace's 2nd DAISY Award!
Working in an acute psychiatric unit and taking care of 28 patients can really be challenging. However, when Grace is around, we feel safe and confident that work will get done. Despite the fact that our patients may present with unpredictable and aggressive behaviors, Grace has the ability to decide quickly and critically. She delegates tasks to her team members fairly, appropriately, and effectively. Safety for everyone is her number one priority. She stands by her work principle of "No Nurse left behind" which reflects the importance of unity, support, and inclusivity.
She would start her day with a morning huddle with her team, then do her rounds in our unit, meeting and greeting each patient with a smile. If she sees patients who need help with their ADLs, she would gladly assist them with showers and hygiene activities. During weekends, she would often give haircuts to our patients and initiate recreational therapy sessions, such as dancing and music. She advocates for a safer placement for the patient as needed. She ensures that safety protocols as well as infection control are consistently implemented in our unit.
Grace inspires our team to strive for excellence every time she comes to work, ensuring that both small and significant achievements are acknowledged and celebrated. She also patiently mentored new nurses and has trained new charge nurses successfully.
Grace is the type of leader who walks the walk- leads by example. She consistently shows a positive attitude and a proactive mindset toward any change, whether it be a new workflow or a new system. She will never complain; instead, she will learn patiently and excitedly share her learnings with her team.
She may not be aware of this, but part of where I am today is because of her. She helped me push myself to grow, to challenge myself, and to believe in my own potential.
Through her patience and wisdom, she has taught me and my peers invaluable lessons—not just about skills or knowledge, but also about character, resilience, and empathy. I, along with our team, will always be forever grateful to her.
G-Genuine and Generous
R-Resilient
A-Adaptable
C-Compassionate
E- Empathetic
Note: This is Grace's 2nd DAISY Award!