Amy Lopez, RN, Honored with DAISY Award for Exceptional Care
Celebrating Compassion
Sunlight poured through the SLV Health atrium, reflecting off colorful balloons as guests enjoyed cinnamon rolls. At the center of the crowd stood Amy Lopez, BSN, RN, just moments before she was surprised as the twelfth recipient of the DAISY Award for Nursing Excellence at San Luis Valley Health. Andrea Griego, last quarter’s DAISY Award winner and Amy’s mentor, helped orchestrate the special moment, demonstrating the same supportive spirit she offers her colleagues every day. SLV Health launched the DAISY Award program in Fall 2022. This national recognition, created by the family of patient J. Patrick Barnes, honors nurses across the country who provide exceptional, compassionate care throughout the patient care journey.
Amy Lopez, who serves in the Labor and Delivery unit, was nominated by two patients and two patients’ family members.
One patient shared, “Amy has made my extended stay one to remember. Her care was beyond her job. She showed endless care and love. She made my stay so much better, always checking to see if I needed anything and just to check my wellbeing... I had a hard stay here in labor delivering due to complication, but Amy sure knew how to make things a whole lot better. And not with myself but also with my baby and baby’s father as well as with my visitors. I would highly recommend Amy for the Daisy Nomination. She does her job with a passion and most definitely love and a lot of care. She is THE BEST!”
A family member of one of our patients also nominated Amy. In a heartfelt email sent after their hospital stay, they wrote, “I like to nominate Amy for her extraordinary job she has provided for my daughter and her baby. She always had a smile and was very compassionate. She explains and shows compassion to every detail. She also made our visits and stay very welcoming. She deserves the DAISY Award for her hard and dedicated work she provided for my daughter.”
Lucky to Have Her
Lopez works in San Luis Valley Health’s Obstetric/Nursery department. Terisa Valdez, BSN, RN, RNC-LRN, C-EFM, OB RN Manager at San Luis Valley Health, shared, “Amy is an incredible nurse who goes above and beyond for not only her patients but her coworkers. She is always reliable in emergency situations and is very knowledgeable in labor and delivery. For the year 2025, she had the most vaginal deliveries for first-time moms, thus keeping our C-section rate low. She is a very positive person in our unit and we are lucky to have her!”
Dr. Carmelo Hernandez, the Chief Medical Officer at San Luis Valley Health, also shared his thoughts on her win: “You can count on Amy to have nominations for the Daisy award each time and she set a high bar for all nurses with four nominations this time. I can count on Amy to provide exceptional care for our patients. She is always present for her colleagues with a smile and a helping hand. Amy is exemplary!”
Amy Lopez’s dedication, skill, and compassion exemplify the values at the heart of the DAISY Award. Her recognition stands as a testament to the profound impact nurses make every day—both on their patients and within their teams. SLV Health is proud to celebrate Amy’s achievements and to honor all nurses who go above and beyond in the spirit of caring. To nominate an SLV Health nurse for a DAISY Award, visit https://team.getwell.health/public/rounds/daisy/4416