Vigilance, advocacy, and excellence: Minali Patel receives a DAISY Award

Last week, Minali Patel, BSN, RN, on East 5 Neuroscience, received a DAISY award for her vigilance, persistence, and unwavering advocacy for her patient. Her skills and decisive actions during a critical change in a patient’s neurological condition exemplify the compassion, professionalism, and excellence in nursing that define UC Davis Health.

From the nomination:

“I would like to nominate Minali Patel for the DAISY Award for the extraordinary care and dedication she demonstrated during a critical situation with her patient.

“The patient had started the day in their normal state, eating breakfast without difficulty and actively participating with physical therapy. However, within just an hour, the patient developed significant weakness and new neurological changes. Minali immediately recognized these subtle but serious signs and quickly notified the physician and persistently advocated for her patient. 

“Minali promptly called for a CT scan, escalated her concerns to the charge nurse, and when the patient required a higher level of care, she initiated a rapid response to facilitate a safe and timely transfer to the ICU. Her vigilance, persistence, and unwavering advocacy ensured that the patient received the urgent attention and interventions they needed.

“Minali’s actions exemplify the highest standards of nursing. She combined her clinical expertise with courage and persistence, advocating fiercely for her patient in a moment that could have changed the outcome. Her dedication and quick response made a critical difference and reflected the true spirit of the DAISY Award.”

Congratulations, Minali, on your DAISY Award! 

About DAISY Awards:

The DAISY Award is part of The DAISY Foundation, an international program dedicated to recognizing nursing excellence. Established by the Barnes family in memory of their son, Patrick, the award honors the exceptional, compassionate care Patrick received from nurses during his eight-week hospitalization. To express their gratitude, the family created the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, celebrating the remarkable and often unsung work nurses perform every day at the bedside.