Salinas Valley Health Celebrating Hospital & Nurses Weeks

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

SALINAS, CA, May 10, 2018- Salinas Valley Health is celebrating National Nurses and Hospital Weeks with a full schedule of activities for all staff including the announcement this week of Nurse and Employee of the Year. Salinas Valley Health honors its dedicated staff serving the community and each other with STAR values. STAR stands for Support, Teamwork, Accountability and Respect. The week of activities is centered around a Celebrating 65 theme. Salinas Valley Health opened its doors to the community sixty-five years ago on April 20, 1953.

“We cannot do what we do without our exceptional staff,” says Pete Delgado, President/CEO of Salinas Valley Health. “This week we are celebrating them and showing the appreciation we feel every day for the exceptional care they provide our patients, families and the community.”

Employees at Salinas Valley Health selected Najiba Caplan, RN as the 2018 Nurse of the Year. She is staff nurse II in Med Surg who joined Salinas Valley Health in 1999. Caplan was nominated for her compassion and exceptional medical care she provides patients and for being an excellent role model and motivator to new graduates and new hires.

“It’s an honor to be selected as nurse of the year,” says Najiba Caplan, RN. “I came to Salinas Valley Health twenty years ago from Philadelphia as a traveling nurse. After my assignment was over I chose to stay because Salinas Valley Health Medical Center is truly a place of excellence and my third-floor co-workers are amazing. I’m proud to work here.”

The Salinas Valley Health 2018 Employee of the Year is Renee Johnson. She is a Human Resources Specialist who joined Salinas Valley Health in 1992 and has spent most of her career in the Human Resources Department. She was recognized this week by her colleagues throughout the Healthcare System for the support she provides to all departments and for demonstrating excellent work ethic and great customer service. She is dedicated to matching the right talent to the right job and is often the first person an applicant or new employee will meet.

“I am honored to receive this recognition,” says Renee Johnson, Human Resources Specialist. “I love this organization and the people I work with and I’m proud to say I work here. I started my career at Salinas Valley Health 25 years ago and I look forward to another 25 years.”

Caplan and Johnson were selected during an extensive house wide nomination process. Other Salinas Valley Health staff nominated for Nurse of the Year were recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation and include Bryan Da Silva, RN, Stephanie Frizzell, RN, Alejandra Garcia, RN, Michael Jarschke, RN, and Raymundo Morales, RN.

Peer nominations for Employee of the Year include Joel Castillo, Divina Cortez, Timothy France, Janet Marcroft, Maria Ponciano-Tolentino and Ernest Reyes. Each received a Certificate of Appreciation.

Events celebrating the dedication and contributions of Salinas Valley Health employees kicked off Monday May 7^th. In addition to an employee BBQ, there are other activities including National Nurses Week Cup Cake Celebration, a yogurt social, wall of appreciation and free neck and shoulder massages. National Nurses Week and Hospital Week festivities conclude Friday, May 11^th.

Najiba Caplan, RN

Renee Johnson
Human Resources Specialist