UC Davis Health

Diane Woods, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, associate chief nursing officer and executive director for Ambulatory Care, recently received a The DAISY Foundation Nurse Leader Award for her visionary leadership and unwavering advocacy for ambulatory nursing! 🌼 From the nomination: “I would like to nominate Diane Woods for the DAISY Nurse Leaser Award. I believe Diane is the definition of a DAISY nurse for her skilled leadership and her incredible impact in the care we provide our patients daily. Diane is a fierce advocate for ambulatory nursing and has been instrumental in many of the incredible advances in nursing leadership at the clinic level. Her excitement about the specialty is contagious and is personally responsible for recruiting myself from an inpatient specialty that I never saw myself leaving into ambulatory care. She is a true visionary, creating intoxicating enthusiasm for progress in the ambulatory care areas and generates a supportive and caring environment for all her staff. Diane treats all within her team with compassion, understanding and the highest levels of mutual respect. As someone in the highest levels of leadership, she could remain in her silo when making decisions, but she has always acknowledged the strength of her team and encourages working “outside the silos. I am immensely proud and honored to nominate Diane Woods for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. In her role as Associate Chief Nursing Officer for Ambulatory, Diane has exemplified unparalleled leadership and commitment to the growth and excellence of the ambulatory care nursing profession. Her dedication has not only enhanced our organization’s capabilities but has also fostered and environment of professional development and mentorship among nurse leaders. Her vision to better integrate the Ambulatory Care Division into the UC Health System and to focus on ambulatory care nursing education is pivotal for our community’s health. Under Diane’s leadership, our ambulatory care services have expanded and improved, reflecting their innovative strategies and forward-thinking. She has been essential in successfully implementing cutting-edge clinical practices that have enhanced patient outcomes and operational efficiencies. Diane has been instrumental in integrating evidence-based practices into our daily routines, significantly elevating the standard of care we deliver to our community. She acts as a mentor and example to our ambulatory care clinical nurses and continuously encourages nurses to obtain their specialty certification and perform duties at the top of their licensure. It is with great admiration that I nominate Diane Woods for this prestigious award. Her visionary leadership and dedication to nurturing the next generation of nurses and nurse leaders make her an outstanding candidate for the DAISY award.”

Edna Zamora faced the unimaginable when a dangerous pregnancy complication led to 7 emergency surgeries over several days. After the delivery of her daughter, her placenta wouldn’t stop bleeding, putting her life at risk. During her time in the hospital, Zamora's body required a uniquely large amount of blood. A significant trauma procedure can require as much as 50 units; her procedures needed 474 units in all. Thanks to the quick response of our skilled medical team, including 24 surgeons, and the critical support of blood donations, Edna and her baby survived. Today, she holds her baby girl in her arms 💙 More of her story: https://lnkd.in/giJvJnEK

Whether it be personal, professional or historical, women across the centuries have inspired us in many ways – to be brave, kind, strong, resilient, wise, rebellious, reflective, and so much more. This #WomensHistoryMonth, we asked for nominations of women who inspire our faculty and staff. Explore the nominations:

What’s at stake if federal #NIH research funding is cut? Here’s just one example of a life-changing breakthrough made possible by NIH grants 👀 #ALS took Casey Harrell’s ability to speak. Neuroscientists at University of California, Davis UC Davis Health developed technology that translates his brain waves and gives him his voice back. Medical research is too important to risk. Tell Congress to #saveNIHresearch at https://bit.ly/410feK0

Congratulations to Kristan Kovach, ADN, from Davis 5 Neonatal Units, NICU, and SCN, who received a The DAISY Foundation Award for her exceptional dedication to caring for our tiniest and most vulnerable patients! 🌼 From one of her nominations: “Kristan is an unsung hero for some of our toughest NICU cases. Kristan is an absolutely incredible nurse, super skilled, smart, positive, hardworking and she truly does A+ quality work every single time she comes to work. Fortunately for our toughest patients, she is also deeply committed to primary nursing. Kristan is never without a primary patient and without fail, every single time, she chooses the patient that really needs her the most and that others might shy away from for various reasons. We had a recent very long-term patient that was known to have a poor outcome and did not have family support. Kristan signed right up and she was determined to bring out the best in this baby. No matter how sick he was or whether there was family participation, Kristan made a milestone sign, special outfit for every holiday, read to him, advocated for him in care meetings and looked for ways to optimize his course. After months of being immobile due to edema and on maximum ventilation, the baby unexpectedly started to improve a bit. Once he was stable enough to move, he was out of bed charting on Kristan's lap or sitting in his chair being talked to. On several occasions like this with similar patients, I have thought to myself that there's no way the patient would have ever come as far without Kristan's care, oversight and advocacy day in and day out. These little patients may never know that Kristan made such a profound difference in their lives, but there is no question that every primary she takes is better off for her presence and dedication during their NICU stay. I am constantly floored by Kristan's compassion and her capacity to do this over and over and over again in the toughest of situations. Kristan is a nursing hero in my book, and she is an amazing testament to the power of primary nursing.” Amazing work, Kristan!

Happy #RegisteredDietitiansDay! Today, we celebrate our incredible RDs who work tirelessly to provide high-quality, patient-centered care, ensuring our patients’ dietary and nutritional needs are met. 💙 Our registered dietitians also make a meaningful impact beyond the hospital, offering nutritional education and outreach through guest speaking, health fairs, and school career days. With expertise in clinical nutrition, nutrition support, pediatrics, diabetes, oncology, weight management, and more, they are dedicated to improving health outcomes in our community. Thank you to our amazing RDs for all you do! Learn more about how registered dietitians can support you in healthy eating, lifestyle changes, and managing illness: https://lnkd.in/gFYX8bC4

Dr. Helen Kales, one of our geriatric psychiatrists, and her colleagues, share 5 expert tips for caretakers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia via The New York Times: https://lnkd.in/gM74Bmvq

Debra Reals was told her life was at risk after a car crash caused a severe tear in her aorta. Thanks to our cardiothoracic team, she underwent a groundbreaking minimally invasive surgery to repair the damage using a dual branched device — a first in Northern California.   “This procedure could reduce recovery time and improve outcomes for patients,” said Andrew Barleben, vascular surgeon.   We're proud of our skilled team and the innovative care they provide.    Learn more about her story here: https://lnkd.in/gyXjbN9d

We are excited to announce David Brandman, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon in the Department of Neurological Surgery at University of California, Davis as study principal investigator and Daniel Rubin, M.D., Ph.D., critical care neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, as investigator for the upcoming Connexus BCI Clinical Study. We are looking forward to working with these exceptional leaders in clinical BCI technology. “I am excited to lead the Connexus BCI Clinical Study… This research is an important step for the field of BCI technology, investigating how BCI users can communicate through synthesized speech and text.” - Dr. Brandman “For people unable to communicate due to motor impairment, there is significant unmet medical need…I look forward to the upcoming Connexus BCI Clinical Study and am excited to explore how rich, high bandwidth brain data can produce real-time, accurate communication.” - Dr. Rubin We are one step closer to the Connexus BCI Clinical Study launching later this year! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gCR84TSA

Five years ago today, everything changed: The World Health Organization declared coronavirus a pandemic. The NBA suspended its season. Flights from Europe to the U.S. were halted. And health care workers and researchers mobilized to fight COVID-19. Over the past five years, they learned valuable lessons that will be needed when the next pandemic hits, says Stuart Cohen, our chief of infectious diseases: “Combating the next pandemic will be a team sport. It will take the combined efforts of the medical and science communities and the public to save lives and deal with the pandemic that comes next.” More: https://lnkd.in/gBbfpT2v