DAISY Award Reflects Life-Saving Instincts

Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843

March 19, 2025 - The latest DAISY Award for nursing excellence at Salinas Valley Health exemplifies how a local nurse, trusting her career skills and instincts, saved a baby’s life. Weronika Paden, BSN, RNC-MNN, has worked in the Maternity Mother/Baby unit at Salinas Valley Health for eleven years and is grateful she took action when she noticed a baby’s appearance was not quite right.

At Salinas Valley Health, it is customary for every newborn to undergo a critical congenital heart disease screening. It was during this stage of the baby’s health journey that Paden noted that the baby’s coloring was not normal.

“The baby’s skin color looked a little grey,” says Paden, “The provider immediately sent the newborn to be observed in our neonatal intensive care unit.” Salinas Valley Health operates the Level III NICU in partnership with Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.

Paden’s observation proved to be instrumental in detecting a congenital heart defect diagnosed as a coarctation of the aorta, which is a narrowing of the main artery.  The infant was transferred to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford for a lifesaving procedure to correct the condition.

“Weronika's experience as a nurse and her physical assessment of the baby were essential,” says Julie Vasher DNP, RNC-OB, APRN-CNS, Director of Women’s & Children’s Services at Salinas Valley Health. “I nominated Weronika for the Daisy Award because of her fast thinking to have the baby reassessed and brought to a higher level of care, all steps that likely prevented a tragic event for the newborn. 

“We empower our nurses to follow their instincts,” says Carla Spencer, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Salinas Valley Health Chief Nursing Officer. “Our Magnet recognition for nursing excellence reinforces the skills and behavior that make our nursing care outstanding at every level. Weronika is certainly deserving of the prestigious DAISY Award.”

Seven additional DAISY Award nominees received accolades: Chona Alforque MSN, RN, CCRN, Telemetry/1-Main; Melissa "Mel" Aninzo BSN, RN, PCCN, Observation Care Unit; Renee Armenta RN, ONC; Cindy Contreras RN, Telemetry/4-T; Catherine Krom BSN, RN, Patient Care Resources; Marbel Orozco-Gonzalez BSN, RN, ONS; and Max Whittaker BSN, RN, Emergency.

Every month, Salinas Valley Health recognizes an outstanding nurse with a DAISY Award and a STAR Award (for all staff). The DAISY Award is an international program that recognizes and celebrates nurses for their extraordinary compassion, outstanding clinical skills, and personalized care, established by the DAISY Foundation. The STAR Award is a recognition program established by Salinas Valley Health incorporating the organization’s core values of Support, Teamwork, Accountability and Respect to highlight staff serving our patients, community and each other with extraordinary results. Nominations are submitted by patients, visitors and staff. To learn more about the awards visit SalinasValleyHealth.com/nomination.