Registered nurse Lilian Sadsad says what she likes most about her position on the medical/surgical floor is the feeling she gets when a patient asks if she’s coming back tomorrow.
“When I hear that, I know it’s because they feel safe and want to see me again,” she says. “It means I’ve brought them some level of comfort when they are scared and don’t feel good, and that means a lot.”
It is that compassion and quality care that earned Sadsad, who works at Sutter’s California Pacific Medical Center’s Van Ness Campus in San Francisco, The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses. Sadsad has been a nurse with CPMC for more than 35 years, where her colleagues credit her for always remaining calm and levelheaded in stressful situations. Sadsad received the award on July 1.
“I was so surprised and thankful. The award is wonderful, but the words I heard from my colleagues about my work are what really touched me,” shared an emotional Sadsad.
Lilian Sadsad, RN
Sadsad serves as a charge nurse on the Van Ness Campus’ Med/Surg unit. Her responsibilities include supervising nursing staff and monitoring their needs. She also helps coordinate daily administrative duties, including schedules, nursing assignments and ensuring the smooth workflow of patient care.
Here are some of the comments Lilian’s colleagues at CPMC said about her:
“Lilian is my favorite nurse to work with. She is the smartest nurse around and is always willing to help anyone who needs it. She makes work easier and less stressful.” – Aubrey Powell
“For the past five years in my nursing career, I have looked up to Lilian. She shows so much compassion towards her patients and goes above and beyond to make sure they are comfortable in every possible way in their most vulnerable time. Lilian is also a charge RN on our unit. Whenever Lilian is charge, I know my busy and hectic day will somehow be at ease due to the organization and support she brings to hold the fort down.” – Joyce Dante
“Lilian is the most knowledgeable, professional nurse I’ve ever known. She is always helpful and supportive to other staff and gives incredible patient care. Lilian is the nurse the rest of us try to emulate. She is the best!” – Tracy McCuiston Johnson
“Lilian is a great nurse! She leads everyone on our unit and is a resource for all other nurses.” – Ashley Girard
Sadsad has been a nurse since 1979. After earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing, she went on to serve in the U.S. Army for six years. She then began her career journey with CPMC in 1984.
The DAISY Award is a highly regarded recognition program found in more than 3,900 healthcare facilities and nursing schools in all 50 states and in 28 countries. DAISY Award recognitions honor the super-human work nurses do for patients and families every day wherever they practice, in whatever role they serve and throughout their careers.
An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem, The DAISY Foundation was formed in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at age 33 of complications from an auto-immune disease, and the nursing care Barnes received profoundly touched his family, who then created a foundation and launched The DAISY Award program in his memory.
