Congratulations to Kaiser Permanente's newest DAISY Award honorees! The DAISY Award is a way for patients and their families, along with co-workers and volunteers, to recognize the extraordinary effort and compassion that our nurses display every day. Kaiser Permanente is a national DAISY Award hospital partner, and regularly recognizes nurses, nurse leaders and teams who meet the award criteria. DAISY Nurse
Katie Rolan brings much-needed medical supplies and hospital scrubs, mostly donated by colleagues, to Kenya. The Santa Clara nurse also trains health care workers. Pictured, Rolan, who goes to Kenya twice a year to volunteer, holds up one of the donated items.
When Rayne Soriano, Ph.D., RN, NE-BC, talks about nursing, he doesn’t just speak about care delivery, he speaks about belonging, equity, and leadership. That’s why his recent induction as a 2025 Distinguished Fellow of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (ADLN) is such a meaningful milestone. “This recognition is deeply humbling and personal,” shared Soriano, who serves as Kaiser Permanente Northern California Senior Director for Professional Excellence, Research, and Innovation and President of AONL Hawai‘i. “It represents the collective effort of countless nurses and leaders who believe that compassionate, equitable care begins with how we care for one another.” The ADLN Fellowship is a national recognition honoring nurse leaders who have advanced justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion through education, research, policy, and practice. For Soriano, this honor reflects decades of work leading systems-level initiatives that integrate Caring Science, equity-centered leadership, and culturally grounded workforce development. Soriano credits Kaiser Permanente for shaping his leadership journey. “After 28 years here, Kaiser Permanente has empowered me to align my personal mission with our organizational vision. Through our Professional Excellence and Research programs, I’ve had the privilege of helping create environments where inquiry, healing, and belonging thrive.” The formal induction ceremony will take place this December in New York City, where Soriano will join other national nursing leaders including Kaiser Permanente’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Greg Adams. The award is both a celebration and a call to action, he says, “to keep mentoring emerging nurse leaders and ensuring every caregiver, student, and patient feels seen, valued, and supported.” Congratulations, Rayne!
The Kaiser Permanente Nurse Scholars Academy has served more than 4,500 nurses through its various educational offerings since it launched in 2015. Pictured, Amanda Sayaseng, BSN, RN, said the Nurse Scholars Academy is a major reason she has stayed at Kaiser Permanente.
As frontline caregivers, Kaiser Permanente nurses play a vital role in protecting the health of our patients and communities. Getting the annual flu shot is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the spread of influenza — especially among our most vulnerable patients. The flu can lead to serious complications, hospitalizations, and even death, particularly for older adults, young children, and those with chronic conditions. By getting vaccinated, nurses not only safeguard their own health but also help prevent outbreaks in clinical settings where patients trust us to keep them safe. See why four of our nursing colleagues chose to get the annual flu shot.
Congratulations to Kaiser Permanente's newest DAISY Award honorees! The DAISY Award is a way for patients and their families, along with co-workers and volunteers, to recognize the extraordinary effort and compassion that our nurses display every day. Kaiser Permanente is a national DAISY Award hospital partner, and regularly recognizes nurses, nurse leaders and teams who meet the award criteria. DAISY Nurse
“I’m ready to contribute with energy, purpose, and a collaborative spirit,” said Daniel Ramberger, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, of his recent election to the board of the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL), a statewide organization dedicated to developing and inspiring nurse leaders. Ramberger, who serves as the Chief Nurse Executive at the Kaiser Permanente Redwood City Medical Center, sees his role as an opportunity to elevate the profile of Kaiser Permanente nursing as a thought leader in professional nursing leadership, Magnet designation, and workforce well-being. He also hopes his work on the ACNL board will impact Kaiser Permanente by bringing statewide insights, best practices, and innovative leadership strategies back to our organization. “Ultimately, I want to contribute to shaping programs, partnerships, and initiatives that make nursing leadership more sustainable, more human-centered, and more impactful for the communities we serve,” he noted. Ramberger is among several nurses and leaders across the organization who lend their leadership, knowledge, and expertise to professional and community boards. Engagement on boards is a great way for Kaiser Permanente nurses to expand their networks, enhance practice, and elevate nursing excellence, he said. “It ensures our teams are aligned with emerging trends, leadership development programs, and advocacy efforts that strengthen nursing practice and improve patient outcomes.”
“We were looking for new approaches to how we care for our patients to improve the overall care experience,” said Esperanza Chavez, MSA, BSN, RN, chief nursing executive at the Sacramento Medical Center. This resulted in assistant nurse manager Mary Jane Q. Cruz, RN, BSN, and a team of nurse colleagues designing and introducing a new patient care program they named the "Because You Matter: KP HUGS" program. An evidence-based practice project, "The Because You Matter: KP HUGS program focuses on promoting compassionate care, improving nurse-patient communication, and increasing the overall responsiveness to individual patient needs to boost their care experience," said Maria G. Gonzalez, RN, nurse manager, 1 West Telemetry Unit, Sacramento Medical Center. “The project was a group effort,” explained Gonzalez. "Leadership researched the current patient care experience and developed the initial HUGS objectives, but it was our staff who truly brought it to life by educating fellow nurses about the elements of the program with banners, posters, activities, and presentations — embracing the opportunity to improve how they approached patient care.” HUGS in action HUGS is an acronym for the goals the program represents: Honoring Your Commitment, Understanding Patients’ Needs, Getting to Know the Patient, and Supporting the Nursing Practice Model. The HUGS program includes: Making a personal connection: Nurses and staff engage with patients through empathy, active listening, and respect for individual backgrounds and beliefs. “We want to foster care where we see our patients as a whole person — not a room number or diagnosis,” said Chavez. "We value their stories, personal needs and preferences to build trust and foster a healing environment." "For example, a patient shared her love for candles with one of her nurses, so the following day, the nurse brought in a battery-operated candle for the patient’s comfort,” said Chavez. Communication matters: The HUGS program focuses on nurses being more intentional about getting to know their patients and their patients’ families better. "Our rounding now goes beyond simply checking on patients," said Gonzalez. "We ask purposeful questions, such as ‘What matters to you?’ to show empathy and connect on a deeper level. This builds trust and strengthens the bond between patients and their care teams.” Patient-centered care: Nurses partner with colleagues to create a care environment where the patient is at the center of their experience. For example, the team introduced a no-pass zone, where any care team member has permission to stop in a patient's room when their call light is activated, ensuring immediate patient care. “Lastly, the HUGS program underscores the importance of the nurse practice model, which consists of six core principles: professionalism, compassion, teamwork, patient- and family-centered care, excellence, and integrity," said Cruz. "I encourage every nurse at the Sacramento Medical Center to embody and demonstrate these values in every interaction with every patient, every day.” Benefits of HUGS “After five months of implementing the Because You Matter: KP HUGS program, the 1 West Telemetry Unit saw a 12% increase in their care experience scores," said Cruz…
Congratulations to Kaiser Permanente's newest DAISY Award honorees! The DAISY Award is a way for patients and their families, along with co-workers and volunteers, to recognize the extraordinary effort and compassion that our nurses display every day. Kaiser Permanente is a national DAISY Award hospital partner, and regularly recognizes nurses, nurse leaders and teams who meet the award criteria. Daisy Nurse
Llewelyn “Lulu” Lagmay has been a nurse for 14 years, but she still remembers the mentor she had early in her career. “I had a mentor who made a lasting impact on me — someone who gave generously of their time and guidance,” said Lagmay, BSN, RN, staff nurse in the Intensive Care Unit at Kaiser Permanente San Leandro. “Becoming a preceptor has been my way of paying that forward.” Lagmay is among the more than 1,200 experienced registered nurses in Northern California who support new graduates and nurse fellows as mentors, or preceptors. They provide mentorship, knowledge, and support to new graduates and nurse fellows transitioning their practice as part of Kaiser Permanente’s nurse residency and fellowship programs. The mentors act as educators, role models, and a resource, fostering a supportive learning environment while ensuring patient safety. “There’s something incredibly fulfilling about seeing them gain independence, step into their roles, and become strong, trusted team players,” said Lagmay. “Knowing I had a hand in that transformation is why I keep doing it.” Benson Yeung, DNP, RN, Northern California director of practice excellence, calls nurse preceptors “the heart of our nurse training programs.” Yeung said it goes beyond training — the preceptor-resident relationship strengthens the nursing community and ultimately elevates patient care. Nurse preceptors played a crucial role in earning the highly sought-after Practice Transition Accreditation Program accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nurse residency and fellowship programs. “They have created an environment where new nurses feel empowered, supported, and confident as they transition into their new role,” Yeung said. Mutually beneficial relationship Lagmay shares that her role isn’t just about teaching, but also an opportunity for her professional growth. “Mentoring sharpens my practice and challenges me to reflect, adapt, and stay current,” she said. “Every new nurse brings a fresh perspective, and sometimes that opens my eyes to different ways of doing things. Their questions or observations can highlight opportunities in our systems and workflows that might otherwise go unnoticed.” Josephine Igbineweka, RN, transitioned from a medical surgical unit to the San Leandro ICU as a nurse resident, where she worked with Lagmay and another preceptor. She credits them for easing her fears and boosting her confidence in her critical care practice. “They have been incredibly supportive of my learning, invested in my success and growth, and generous in their leadership and mentorship,” said Igbineweka. “Their commitment to excellent care has inspired me to improve and be the best nurse I can be.”