Nursing in Northern California main site

Transformational Leadership

New-Hospital

New San Jose Medical Center breaks ground

In 2024, Kaiser Permanente broke ground on a new 303-bed hospital at its San Jose site, set to open in 2029. The project involves demolishing the existing 50-year-old hospital and constructing a state-of-the-art facility. Designed by Stance Architecture, the new hospital will feature a six-story building, a 35,000-square-foot energy center, and a five-level parking structure. The energy center and service yard are integral to the project’s focus on sustainability and operational efficiency, aligning with the Magnet Model’s transformational leadership. The new hospital will enhance healthcare services in the San Jose community by providing modern facilities and improved patient care. Although the project will result in the removal of 130 trees, it represents a significant transformation of the local healthcare landscape. By 2029, the project will reflect Kaiser Permanente’s long-term commitment to high-quality healthcare and embody transformational leadership principles, driving innovation and community impact.

Sharon Hampton with 2 nurses holding tea cups.

Tea with the CNE

During Nurses Week, all Staff Nurse IIIs, IVs, and Nurse Residents along with their peers were invited to Tea with the CNE to celebrate and showcase their work with their San Leandro Chief Nurse Executive Sharon Hampton, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN.   

Sharon Hampton with a group of nurse leaders
Sharon Hampton with a group of nurses holding tea cups.
San Leandro clinical preceptors gathered for a celebration.

Clinical preceptors recognized

After supporting over 8 cohorts of nurse residents and transition to practice programs, San Leandro recognized all preceptors in April 2024 for their hard work and dedication to the growth of their preceptees.  

Nurse leader rounding on nurses

Celebrating Certified Nurses

Every March, Certified Nurses Day recognizes nurses who achieve a national board certification, celebrating nurses who demonstrate a deep commitment to professionalism, excellence, safety, and service through achievement of nursing credentialing in their given specialty. Our nurses in San Leandro were recognized and honored for their clinical excellence and dedication to lifelong learning. See the list of the San Leandro certified nurses and check out the photo album. 

 

Sonjanae Shand speaking at the Juneteenth event.

African American Association hosts inspiring Juneteenth celebration

In 2024, the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City African American Association hosted a vibrant Juneteenth celebration centered around the empowering theme, “Breaking Every Chain.” The event brought together staff and community members to honor the legacy of Juneteenth, reflect on progress made, and envision a future of equity and unity.

Home Health and Hospice Site Director, Sonjanae Shand, MSN, RN, delivered a powerful keynote address, sharing the history of Juneteenth, its origins, and the strides we’ve made toward freedom and equality. She also spoke about the ongoing work needed to break barriers and build a more inclusive future.

The celebration featured local food trucks, nutrition learning events, and a blood pressure management station, while emphasizing the importance of holistic wellness within the community.

Vallejo leaders accepting the Soteria award.

Guardians of safety: Kaiser Permanente Vallejo recognized as Soteria Patient Safety Top Performer

Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center was honored as the Soteria Patient Safety Top Performer across Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Named after Soteria, the Greek goddess of safety and protection, this prestigious recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to patient safety and excellence in care.
Vallejo nurses at a quality posterThis achievement is the result of the collective efforts of our incredible team. Through vigilance, collaboration, and strict adherence to safety bundles and best practices, patient safety has become more than a priority—it’s our culture. The impact? Vallejo Medical Center is the NCAL Top Safety Priority Index (SPI) Performer, finishing at 0.66, exceeding the regional goal of 0.83.
As Robin Betts, VP of Quality and Safety, stated, “This award isn’t just about metrics; it’s about the compassion and commitment that drive our work every day.” At the award ceremony, our team stood united, proud of the strides we have made to ensure every patient receives the safest care possible.
This recognition goes directly to our frontline staff, whose adherence to safety bundles, understanding of data, and ownership of their professional practice have made this success possible. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
Being named the top performer is not just an honor—it’s a call to action. We are inspired to build on this success, to embody the spirit of Soteria in everything we do. We are not chasing numbers; we are chasing quality and nursing excellence.
Vallejo Coordinating Council

The heartbeat of excellence: Voice of Nursing’s transformative journey in 2024

Following the historic achievement of securing the first Magnet designation among 21 Kaiser facilities in Northern California, the Voice of Nursing (VON) propelled into 2024 with renewed energy, focusing on engagement, growth, and innovation.

Each month brought a unique theme, engaging nurses through meaningful discussions led by notable speakers from multiple disciplines. In April, Liss Leal, Operations Director for KP HealthConnect, explored Advancements in Nursing Technology, while August featured Dr. Lela Gahanjehei, Cardiologist, highlighting the management of Heart Failure and Chronic Conditions. These sessions inspired and empowered nurses to envision and elevate nursing practice.

Leadership transitions added a dynamic layer to VON’s journey. Eugenia Ventura, RN and Nestle Vitug, RN, two tri-chairs, were promoted to leadership roles, making way for Samantha Avecilla,  RN (COC KFRC) and Deryn Milarezi, RN (PACU) to step in, joining Jeanette Ferrer-Valladares, RN in shared governance. In a demonstration of thoughtful succession planning, Krystle Javier, RN is being mentored for a future tri-chair seat.

In September, VON underwent a strategic restructuring, introducing four core councils: Professional Development, Care Experience, EBP/Research, and Quality and Patient Safety, with plans for an Informatics Core Council in late 2025. These councils, the “heart of nursing excellence,” focus on developing critical skills such as data interpretation, crafting charts, A3s, and public speaking. TPMG procedural areas (GI, Cath Lab, IR) were also integrated into VON, further broadening its scope. The inaugural meeting laid the foundation with charters and planning for 2025 topics.

The Voice of Nursing remains a dynamic force, fostering leadership, collaboration, and innovation. With its focus on mentorship, professional growth, and meaningful engagement, VON continues to demonstrate that nursing excellence is not a destination—it’s a journey.

Voice of nursing structure

Coordinating Council

Samantha Avecilla

Samantha Avecilla MSN, RN CNL, CRRN

Deryn Milarezi

Deryn Milarezi MSN, RN CNL SNIV

Jeanette Ferrer-Valladares

Jeanette-Ferrer Valladares BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, IBCLC, LEC, SNIV

Krystle Javier

Krystle Javier ADN, RN

Gene Ventura

Eugenia Ventura MSN, RN CMSRN

Nestle Vitug

Nestle Vitug MSN-NI, RN PCCN SNIV

2024 Voice of Nursing Tri-Chair

The “silent architect of nursing evidence,” Samantha “Sam” Avecilla MSN, RN CNL, CRRN delivered a powerhouse year of progress—completing both a research study and a clinical EBP project, sharing findings internally at RIA, presenting nationally at a nursing conference, and submitting them for publication, driving nursing practice forward with groundbreaking inquiry and innovation.

Known for her tenacity and relentless drive for improvement, Deryn Milarezi MSN, RN CNL SNIV spearheaded the formation of the first Unit Practice Council in the ED, championed the installation of splash guards to enhance safety, implemented post-code debriefings, and stood as a strong advocate for peers and patients—bringing critical “awareness to the mental health needs of nurses while honoring the lives they strive to save.”

Jeanette-Ferrer Valladares BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, IBCLC, LEC, SNIV, is a passionate advocate for advancing care experience and a founding tri-chair known as the “heart” of the team. She serves as the site co-principal investigator for the KP-CARES Study, a mentor to nurses advancing the clinical ladder, and an active member of the Facility Selection Committee by nurturing the next generation of professionals.

Krystle Javier ADN, RN, exhibited her remarkable ability to unite a fragmented unit, educate and empower her team, and achieve an unprecedented 100% RN Excellence Survey participation for a medical-surgical unit in just five days. Demonstrating the true essence of transformational leadership, she inspired a culture of nursing engagement to a dynamic and evolving level of professional practice.

Eugenia “Gene” Ventura MSN, RN CMSRN is one of the original tri-chairs and the “brains of the operation,” now serves as Assistant Nurse Manager on 5 East Medical-Surgical Floor, continuing to mentor and empower frontline staff. A 2024 contributor to the 7th edition Scope and Standards of Medical-Surgical Nursing Practice and DAISY Leader Award recipient, she continues to exemplify excellence in nursing leadership.

Nestle “Twinkle” Vitug MSN-NI, RN PCCN SNIV, a former VON tri-chair dubbed as the “stealth tech” of the group, transitioned earlier this year to a quality nurse consultant role in patient safety and risk before returning to KP Vallejo as Magnet Program Director. She expeditiously deployed eight strategic initiatives driven by critical insights from their initial Magnet journey, fostering sustainability and enculturation across the organization.

Vallejo Coordinating Council nurses
Professional-Governance---Group-Photo-before-PG-Achievements-Showcase

Nursing Professional Governance at South Sacramento

Pictured: Carminda Pantoja, BSN, RN, Yen Nguyen, BSN, RN, Loan Vo, BSN, RN, PCCN, Milanelle Guiao-Tranchina, BSN, RN, CMSRN, PCCN, Madonna Abria, BSN, RN, CNOR

Each year, South Sacramento nurses create posters that showcase their Unit or Facility councils’ achievements and moments of pride over the year. Members of our Patient and Family Advisory Council join in on the fun and visit each booth and learn about the goals and achievements from the nurses. The council with the best presentation, creative flare, and passion for their work wins the competition. Congratulations to 3 North on winning the 2024 Nurse’s Week Poster Contest.

Coordinating Council

In 2024, the Coordinating Council achieved significant milestones in enhancing transparency and accountability. They fostered greater engagement by collaborating with all councils to achieve many strategic goals throughout the year. Council members established an annual process for evaluating the effectiveness of each council using an evidence-based tool. They also standardized all by-laws and charters across the board by creating an easily adaptable template. Caritas processes were also prioritized and incorporated into each agenda; for example, each meeting starts with a caring moment or HeartMath’s Quick Coherence.

Importantly, they also ensured that nurses were well-represented across all core councils in the hospital. Members of the Coordinating Council were empowered to practice leadership and shared decision making by developing their expertise in reading and trending empirical outcomes, by articulating goals well in public, by collaborating with the interprofessional teams and by aligning council work with SSC’s nursing strategic plan. These efforts culminated in better governance, stronger teamwork, enhanced communication, and innovative solutions that benefited our nurses and our members. South Sacramento’s Shared Governance structure now boasts of 278 nurses across all licensed spaces within the organization.

Milanelle Guiao-Tranchina

Chair
Milanelle R. Guiao-Tranchina, BSN, RN, CMSRN, PCCN
Staff Nurse IV

Rianna Aglubat

Co-Chair
Rianna Ramos Aglubat, MSN, RN
Staff Nurse IV

Quality & Safety Council 2024 accomplishments

  • Held on-unit celebration and recognition for unit(s) 3 West, 3 East, and 4 South for SPI and safety milestones
  • Provided Patient Mobilization Education for all Patient Care Services
  • Launched the ‘Tis the Season for Quality initiative
  • Created SPHM Committee
  • Waffle mattress discontinuation
  • Created a user-friendly bed algorithm
  • Launched the Quality and Safety Newsletter
  • Provided a Sepsis Booth for patients and staff members during the weekly farmer’s market designed to increase awareness and prevention of sepsis

Sepsis Booth

The Quality & Safety Council provided education to the community, our patients, and to fellow staff members on the importance of recognizing the signs of sepsis. The booth was set up at KP South Sacramento’s weekly Farmer’s Market and provided games, kids activities, and information on “4 Ways to Get Ahead of Sepsis.” Infection prevention, practicing good hygiene, knowing sepsis symptoms, and acting fast if sepsis is suspected were all teaching points in their effort to decrease sepsis mortality rates and improve recognition and prevention of sepsis in the community.

Nursing-Practice-Council

Pictured: Archivald Zaguirre, BSN, RN, CMSRN, Bhupinder Kaur, BSN, RN, Ayumi Saito , BSN, RN, Rachel Wyatt, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, FAONL, Emiliano Zazueta, BSN, RN, PCCN, Middle: Cherry Ann Florendo-Garcia, BSN, RN, Bottom Row: Rosette Agustin, BSN, RN, NICN, Loan Vo, BSN, RN, Laura Appleby , BSN, RN

Nursing Practice Council 2024 Accomplishments

  • ED/IP collaboration: Admission kits, hospital gowns, and pillowcases are stored in the ED and given to all patients with admission orders.
  • Wellness champions subgroup developed connecting representative in multiple departments throughout the hospital in meeting NPC strategic goals, facilitated wellness huddle messages, utilizing wellness board, and collaborated with Wellness University.
  • Caritas rooms in progress on 4N; ED TBD due to expansion.
  • The People Pulse Culture of Health Index goal is 67 by the end of 2023 and 69 by the end of 2024. Goal met: 71 end of 2023
  • Iris feeding tube policy change to eliminate 2nd verifier to expedite treatment. Developed competency for RRT nurses and campus support nurses in the insertion of tube feeding.
  • Massimo adult pulse oximetry device switchover for ED and MST. This change has a projected annual cost savings of $250,000.
  • 3M CHG impregnated central line dressings to roll out when the current contractual agreement expires.
  • Community service:
  • Elk Grove Food Bank: June 5, 13, 2023.
  • Sacramento Heart/Stroke Walk: Sept 23, 2023
  • Elk Grove Food Bank: June 17, 2024
  • Sacramento Heart/Stroke Walk: September 14, 2024
  • The electrolyte replacement protocol was implemented in the MST setting, not just in the ICU.
  • Nursing Grand Rounds:
  • Ethics: April 2024
  • EBP: 2024
  • Burnout and Resiliency: December 2024
COC department photo

Pictured: Christian Chua, RN, Denie Alquisada, BSN, RN, Marcus Colon, RN, Rosette Agustin, BSN, RN, NICN, Michelle Claro, BSN, RN, Hau Ting Panoke, BSN, RN, CCRN, Bhupinder Kaur, BSN, RN, Lisa Kamphuis, Arminder Kaur, BSN, RN, Jaskaran Nijjar, BSN, RN

Professional Development Council 2024 Accomplishments

Recognition of Advanced Nursing Degrees, Certifications, and Clinical Ladder

  • Annual national certification and advanced degree recognition event successfully held.
  • Members participated in cart rounding, distributing information on how to obtain certification/advanced degrees.
  • Pins and treats were distributed to nurses with advanced qualifications.
  • Several departments have added a board dedicated to nurses with certifications/adv. degrees.

Training for Code BERT and Broset-Violence Checkist (BVC)

  • Worked closely with Nic Troxell, BSN, RN, Brandon Pace (former COO, now Rachel Wyatt), and the Workplace Violence (WPV) team to enhance educational content for Professional Development Day (PDD) and integrated into Patient Care Services Orientation (PCSO) as well.
  • Education for staff members was held via roaming carts and during the WPV fair on Oct. 18, 2024. It continues to be socialized during huddles and staff meetings.

Involvement of Clinical Nurses in Technology Use

  • Members participated in an immersive Virtual Reality Research Study, which catered to various learning styles and may enhance future simulation experiences.
  • Members attended Advanced High-Fidelity Simulation Mannequin Training with Reid Hirsch and representatives from the company.
  • Select PDC members attended a 6-part TPMG Simulator Instructor Course that began Sept. 26, 2024, to facilitate the integration of use of mannequins into simulation events.
  • Staff were trained as super-users for Vocera and training sessions were incorporated into PCSO. Continued training on functionalities of Vocera such as wound photo uploads, scanning medications, etc., is being held within individual departments and designated super-users.

SSC Tiered Mentorship Program for Clinical Nurses

  • This voluntary program aims to foster personal and professional growth, build connections, and enhance the sense of belonging amongst our nursing staff.
  • Program launched in July 2024 with successful matching of nurses based on their mentorship interests.
  • First cohort is set to conclude by end of December and ongoing promotion of the program continues for the 2nd cohort in 2025.

Evidence Based Practice and Research Council launched in 2024

The Evidence Based Practice and Research Council, chaired by Shavinderpal Sanga, MSN, RN, CNS, ACCNS-AG, GERO-BC, and co-chaired by Kevin Ho, BSN, RN, CCRN, launched in 2024 with the goal of increasing the presence of EBP and research within nursing at South Sacramento. We are excited to see the accomplishments of this important council in the near future.

Pictured: Arianne Danica Garon, BSN, RN, Joseph Zink, BSN, RN, Marie Ceballos, DNP, RN and Chris Grissom, BSN, RN. Not pictured: Timothy Schremser, BSN, RN

The TPMG Procedural Unit Practice Council, launched in July 2024, represents the Cardiac Cath Lab, GI/Endoscopy, and Interventional Radiology. As the inaugural UPC for licensed clinic areas, members conducted a needs assessment to evaluate the needs of the unit(s) and to be sure their goals represented the needs of each area.

Utilizing results from the Nursing Clinical Excellence Survey and the needs assessment, the Procedural UPC identified opportunities to:

  • improve procedural documentation, starting with “time out” procedures
  • develop an “Education Road Show” for both Peer and self-review and the new Dynamic Health platform (Lippincott replacement),
  • develop workplace wellness boards to place in each department
DAISY Founders, Bonnie and Mark Barnes with Toby Marsh and Rachel Wyatt.

DAISY Award founders honor nurses during visit to South Sacramento 

After a brief tour of our medical center, led by Chief Nurse Executive Rachel Wyatt, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, and Regional Chief Nurse Executive Toby Marsh, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE (pictured above between Bonnie and Mark), the creators of The DAISY Award spoke to a live audience of South Sacramento nurses during a presentation that was streamed live to other medical centers across Northern California. 

The presentation, titled “Shining the Light on All the Right – Elevating Nurses Through Meaningful Recognition,” covered how and why the couple created The DAISY Award, the long-felt impacts for recipients, and the couple’s strong relationship with Kaiser Permanente. 

“We work with most all of your regions around the country, and we are deeply proud of our partnership with Kaiser Permanente,” Bonnie said. “Kaiser has long been a leader in innovating health care and never more than now.  We watch with wonder at the way you are transforming care for patients and that the significant role nursing serves.  Having lived in Northern California for decades, we have numerous friends, including DAISY’s CFO, who share with us their outstanding experiences with you, not only your clinical excellence but also the compassion and humanity you bring to the way you tend to your members.” 

Following the death of their 33-year-old son, Patrick, in 1999, the couple created The DAISY Award in recognition of the exceptional nursing care their son received during his 8-week stay in a Washington hospital. Today, over 6,500 health care facilities and schools of nursing participate in The DAISY Award program, more than 220,000 nurses have been honored, and more than 2.5 million nominations written. 

One of those nominations from a South Sacramento patient — awarded to Austin Stoker, MSN, RN, in September 2023 — was read aloud by Bonnie: “Austin knew how to improve my emotions. He showed me on the O2 monitors how I was improving. He noticed that the 20th was my birthday and brought me a slice of chocolate cake and a slice of cheesecake! Thankfully, there were no candles because I did not yet have the lung capacity to blow one out. It was a birthday that I will remember in a positive light, which without Austin’s superior dedication to patient care could have easily been negative.” 

“Bonnie and Mark gave an outstanding presentation that whisked us all back to the moment when we decided to be a nurse, remembering our purpose, and the extreme privilege we have as nurses,” Wyatt said.  “Few dry eyes in the room as Mark closed out with exactly why nurses are indeed heroes.” 

The presentation concluded with Mark reading some of his all-time favorite DAISY Award nominations, including excerpts from the thank you note he and Bonnie wrote more than 23 years ago to the nursing staff who cared for their son. Watch and listen here. 

In addition to South Sacramento, the Barnes also visited our Roseville, Sacramento, Vacaville, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Leandro medical centers. 

South Sacramento team recognized at Sacramento Kings game.

South Sacramento’s nursing excellence honored at Kings game

Nurses who contributed to our South Sacramento Medical Center’s historic Magnet with Distinction recognition were celebrated before thousands of cheering Sacramento Kings fans during an exciting game against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

 “Kings fans, we have some very special guests here with us tonight,” Kings announcer Scott Moak said, as a group of Magnet nurse ambassadors and leaders assembled at center court during a game timeout. “A group of caring, highly skilled nurses from Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center recently helped their hospital achieve international recognition for nursing excellence.” 

 Fans were directed to look at the arena’s giant screens to view a brief video capturing last December’s announcement that South Sacramento had earned Magnet with Distinction, only the second hospital in the world to receive the honor and the first to achieve it on initial designation. 

Rachel Wyatt being Interviewed center courtEarlier in the evening, prior to the game’s tip off, South Sacramento Chief Nurse Executive Rachel Wyatt, DNP, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, was interviewed on the court (pictured at left). 

“Our hospital leaders and physician partners have supported and empowered our front-line nurses to practice to the best of their capabilities,” she said. “And that’s exactly what our nurses have done and continue to do. I am incredibly proud of our nursing teams for their commitment to achieving this prestigious designation.” 

Magnet nurse ambassadors and nursing leaders also attended a pre-game reception at the Kaiser Permanente Sports Medicine Center inside Golden 1 Center, where they were welcomed and congratulated by Kimberly Menzel, RN, MHA, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President and Area Manager, Roseville. 

As part of our long-standing partnership with the Sacramento Kings, several care experience stories and center-court reunifications between patients and their care teams are highlighted at Kings home games throughout the NBA season. This marked the first time a caregiver night game was dedicated solely to celebrating nursing excellence and recognizing a distinguished accolade for one of our medical centers. 

 

Load More
Back To Top