Life-Saving Action Results in Salinas Valley Health Nurse Receiving DAISY Award

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

October 4, 2022 –The quick response and life-saving actions by a long time Salinas Valley Health nurse has resulted in her receiving the prestigious DAISY Award for nursing excellence. The 911 Code Blue incident took place in the usually calm and therapeutic environment of the Salinas Valley Health Cardiac Wellness on Wilgart Way in Salinas.

For the first time since the Wellness Center’s inception in 2003, a patient went into cardiac arrest. Elizabeth "Betzi" Grogin, RN immediately began performing CPR and mobilized the rest of the team to manage the emergency and tend to the needs of other patients.

“It was a tense but controlled situation made possible by the immediate response of our team guided by Betzi’s leadership,” says fellow Salinas Valley Health Cardiac Wellness nurse, Shirely Chung, RN. “Betzi was able to perform CPR and focus her colleagues on AED and supplemental oxygen until paramedics arrived.”

Betzi has been working at Salinas Valley Health for 24 years, joining the organization as a nurse in 1998. She has provided outpatient care in the Salinas Valley Health Cardiac Wellness since 2018. Perhaps not surprising by her quick actions, Betzi also leads the team in quarterly Code Blue drills. She says the coordinated drills keeps everyone ready for the unexpected.

“This is one of those epic events in my career,” says Betzi Grogin, RN DAISY Award recipient. “We saved a life that day and that is always the greatest reward. I could never have imagined that emergency situation would also result in this DAISY Award recognition. I feel very fortunate to work with such an incredible team.”

In addition to Betzi’s medical response to the event, the Cardiac Wellness team says she commended everyone’s efforts in a debriefing session and took extra time following up with other patients at the Center that day to help them process their emotions. The patient was successfully treated at Salinas Valley Health and transferred to Stanford Medical Center for a recommended heart transplant.

Betzi’s husband, Harlan Grogin, MD was among those gathered for the special DAISY Award ceremony. Dr. Grogin is a cardiac electrophysiologist with Salinas Valley Health Clinics Central Coast Cardiology.

In addition to Betzi, three other outstanding nurses received DAISY Award nominations in September, including, Elizabeth Dayton, RN I in Transport/Special Procedures; Erika Moncayo, RN II, Holding Area Kimberly Stewart, Clinical Nurse Educator with Masters in Education.

Every month, Salinas Valley Health recognizes two extraordinary employees, one with a DAISY Award (for nurses) and another with a STAR Award (for all staff). STAR stands for the Salinas Valley Health values of Support, Teamwork, Accountability and Respect. Nominations can be submitted by patients, visitors and staff. Nomination forms and drop boxes are located throughout the medical center and online. To learn more about the awards visit Nurse Recognition | Salinas Valley Health or STAR Award | Monterey County Health System (SalinasValleyHealth.com).