San Juan Regional Health

Congratulations to San Juan Regional Medical Center nurses Wendy Joe and Erica Candelaria for their exceptional dedication to patient care which has led to their recognition as DAISY® Award winners.

Wendy Joe, Nephrology Unit

Wendy is a nurse on the Nephrology Unit and a two-time DAISY® Award winner. Her latest nomination comes from the family of a patient who was transferred to her care from the ICU. They said Wendy immediately welcomed them as if they were family. Through their father’s hospital stay Wendy was there every step of the way- assessing his condition and patiently answering all the family’s questions. They praised her for the safe, compassionate care she provided their father with in a gentle, soft-spoken manner.

 “She deserves recognition for her cheerful, positive attitude. She did not hesitate to keep us informed when we couldn’t be at bedside, which made us feel involved in our father’s care. She is a blessing to SJRMC, and I know many of her patients feel that way,” the nomination said. 

“The DAISY award means that I am doing something meaningful with my life and making a difference in people’s lives,” Wendy said. “I couldn’t do it without my team, I appreciate them so much.”

Erica Candelaria, Pre-Operation Unit

Erica is a nurse in our Pre-operation Unit. She was nominated by a patient who was about to undergo surgery. This patient had interacted with many of our caregivers during his time in the ER, Radiology, OR, ICU, and Medical Unit. While he felt that everyone did an amazing job and was very caring, Erica really stood out to him. 

“Erica was so thoughtful and caring through the pre-op process. We laughed and joked as we visited. After my procedure she met me when I got back to the room to recover. She was very gentle and made sure I was able to move about the room as needed before I went home,”
the patient said.

The patient ended up returning for another procedure and Erica came in to check up on him, even though he wasn’t assigned to her care.

“I was so happy to see her, we visited for a bit sharing some laughs. She made my day and seeing her smile meant all was going to be ok for me. You made both my procedure days so much easier with your care and smile,” the nomination said. 

“I am so thankful to be recognized by my patients because I come in every day and do my best for them. I do it for them, I don’t expect them to say thank you. I am so thankful for my kind patients as well as everybody I work with,” Erica said. 

We invite our community to help us celebrate our nurses for the excellent care they provide. Share your gratitude by nominating a deserving nurse for a DAISY Award at www.sanjuanregional.com/daisy.