Kandi Diamond - Upper Valley Medical Center

“I have always known that I was going to be a nurse,” Kandi Diamond says matter-of-factly. Her peers and supervisors feel she exemplifies the standards and expectations of the nursing profession. Kandi recalls one patient who she found sitting on the edge of his bed, looking “stressed.” She brought him a warm blanket and put it around his shoulders; he looked up and said, “Are you an angel?” In all her roles, Kandi is innovative and motivating. As the chairperson for the shared governance unit council for ambulatory surgery, Kandi gets the staff to participate in the discussions and supports co-workers with encouragement and praise, as well as with their schedule needs or call needs. Kandi approaches her day in a kind and considerate manner to all. During training, she is calm, guiding, and extremely helpful to her co-workers; she identifies their strengths and weaknesses from the very beginning. She encourages learning and builds confidence in the areas one is comfortable with, while patiently guiding through weaknesses. She is always willing to help others and does so with a smile. She leads by example and is well liked by everyone on the unit.