“I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standards of my profession.”
— Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing
National Nurses Week begins May 6 and ends May 12, which marks Florence Nightingale’s birthday. The recognition week dates back to 1954, the 100th anniversary of her work during the Crimean War.
“In high school, I read a book about Florence Nightingale, and it inspired me to become a nurse,” said Diane Barkas, advanced practice nurse/clinical nurse specialist at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
“I always wanted to be a nurse and work in critical care,” Diane said. “I joined Cottage in 1982 — originally thinking it would be temporary – but I’ve loved it so much that I’m still here 40 years later.” In her role, Diane rounds with the medical team to see patients and works on projects to improve outcomes for critical care patients.
Maria Rivera was drawn to nursing because she wanted to make a difference. She began working at Cottage as patient care tech while earning her nursing degree and then completed a master’s degree in nursing and advanced clinical training to become a nurse practitioner. She served in the Medical ICU for 10 years and provided care in the COVID isolation unit during the height of the pandemic.
Maria is now a nurse practitioner for Cottage Virtual Care – Spanish. “I am so excited to help increase access to care for our Latino community,” she said. Cottage Virtual Care – in English and Spanish – is open 24/7 for convenient telehealth visits via computer, tablet or phone.
Recognized for her compassionate patient care, Maria recently received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing®. She was nominated by a colleague who said: “There are many times Maria has provided exemplary, meaningful care. Her medical knowledge, excellent bedside manner and amazing empathy offer patients and their families a level of care they probably never imagined.”
DAISY Awards Honor Outstanding Nurses
Created to honor nurses for their exceptional patient care, the DAISY Awards were established in 2001 by the Barnes family, who wanted a way to express their gratitude to the nurses who cared for their loved one. DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, and the awards recognize nurses for compassionate patient care. To nominate an extraordinary nurse, visit cottagehealth.org/daisy
