Melody Donate is an extraordinary Nurse whom I have nicknamed ‘Wonder Woman’ due to her heroic battle against cerebral vascular disease and maintaining our stroke program to the highest national standards. Her strength, tenacity and confidence has allowed us to achieve so much including implementing changes in the EMR to streamline the process of acute stroke care, organizing the stroke committee, continuing stroke education including her popular stroke newsletter, development of the mock code stroke, improving the code stroke activation and ensuring accountability among all our providers.

From the day she started, she has been impactful in our community and hospital system. She challenges adversities head-on, and her passion has helped us progress as a hospital system. She has aided in the changes across multiple departments, especially the Emergency Room and radiology, where she helped implement RAPID AI in emergency stroke imaging. She has advocated for our community and fought for our vulnerable patient population. Melody has made a tremendous impact in advocacy in representing VCMC at EMS and our community. She helped VCMC achieve a Joint Commission stroke program evaluation with zero findings, a very rare occurrence and truly amazing achievement. Melody is the cornerstone of our successful program.

Melody is respected as an education leader among her peers and all the Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties coordinators. This nomination cannot fully express what she has done for our hospital system. Her compassionate care, infectious humor, and leadership have made her a hallmark among our hospital family. Melody is our Wonder Woman. With zero reservations, Melody Donate is a true DAISY Nurse.