I am writing to endorse Ron Santiago, Nursing Supervisor, for the prestigious DAISY Award. I have had the privilege of working alongside Ron for more than 8 years at Lakewood, and during this time, I have witnessed his exemplary leadership, compassionate patient care, and unwavering commitment to the hospital, staff, and the patients.

As a Nursing Supervisor, Ron demonstrates an extraordinary ability to lead by leading with his strong, quiet confidence and patience. He is under constant pressure to continue to promote hospital throughput and make sure that all patients from the ED, OR, and Cath Lab are placed in appropriate units and beds. He consistently fosters a positive work environment that empowers and encourages the nursing charge nurses to cooperate with each other and facilitate quick discharges and turnover of beds. His communication skills are great, and he exhibits great emotional intelligence when addressing both the needs of patients and the concerns of staff. He is always diffusing high emotional situations when we have patients and families that are so upset and just want to shout and complain. Ron is able to calm the situation and get the complainant some type of resolution. He truly remains calm under pressure and is a pillar of support for both the patients and the nursing team.

I can recall a day when we had 186 patient census and the ED was holding 8 Telemetry holds and 2 ICU holds. All beds are full, and it is getting towards the end of the day. The ICU and CCU are full, and towards the end of the day, the patients that could be moved have all been moved by this time. There was an emergency in the OR, and the patient needed a CCU bed as requested by the cardiac surgeon. Ron was able to work with the ICU charge nurse and make an available bed in the ICU. Ron took the extra step and spoke to the cardiac surgeon, and assured that the post op care needed for the patient could be accommodated in the ICU. The cardiac surgeon agreed. The next day, the OR still had four ortho cases that still needed a post op bed. Ron continued to work quietly but quickly and was able to bed the four patients that evening.

One of the key reasons I am nominating Ron for the DAISY Award is his remarkable dedication to patient care and hospital throughput. He consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that patients not only receive excellent medical attention but also feel heard, respected, and cared for. His compassionate approach to patients and families makes him an invaluable asset to our team. In addition to his expertise in seeing the opportunities in getting patients bedded, Ron has a persuasive way that makes staff agreeable to his creative solutions. Ron makes everyone feel that they are all valuable contributors to the throughput process. Ron looks out for the staff nurses and takes into consideration their expertise and experience level, and he makes sure that they are not floated to an assignment or a situation where the nurse will feel vulnerable or exposed.

It is without hesitation that I recommend Ron Santiago for the DAISY Award. His exceptional leadership, commitment to patient care, and dedication to the whole team make him an outstanding candidate for this honor. We are fortunate to have him as a part of our nursing leadership.