Happy Nurses Week! I want to take this moment to recognize and thank the more than 1000 extraordinary nurses who work here at ZSFG. As the City’s safety net hospital and Level 1 Trauma Center, we witness every day the critical role nurses play in caring for our patients and strengthening our community.

Nurses are often the first to offer comfort in moments of illness and uncertainty. Nurses are the steady voice during crisis, and the trusted advocates who ensure every patient is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. Nursing leadership, clinical excellence, and unwavering commitment to equitable care are at the heart of everything we do.

On Friday, we gathered at the annual Nurses Week Recognition and Awards Ceremony to celebrate excellence, compassion, and the people who make healing possible and honor the remarkable nurses and partners whose work shapes the patient experience across our hospital and the broader health network.

Congratulations to our 2026 award recipients of the:

• DAISY Awards
  Honoring nurses who provide above-and-beyond compassionate care to patients and families
• BEE Awards
  Honoring non-nursing team members who go above and beyond to support safe, person-centered care and a connected care environment.
• O’Connell Awards
  Celebrating nurse leaders who advance improvement, support colleagues, and advocate for the nursing profession.
• Friends of Nursing Awards
  Recognizing non-nurse leaders, administrators, and operational partners who actively support, promote, and collaborate with our nursing staff.

See the list of ZSFG awardees here.

These awards honor more than achievement. They reflect the leadership, clinical expertise, advocacy, teamwork, and humanity that define ZSFG, our SF Heath Network, and our entire public health system. From the bedside to the clinic, from emergency response, critical care, medical/surgical care to rehabilitation and prevention, nurses are the foundation of our care and the heart of our mission to provide equitable, high-quality care for all. As a physician and your CEO, I have seen firsthand the impact you make, not only in moments of crisis, but in the trust you build, the lives you change, and the dignity you bring to every patient encounter.

My gratitude goes to all of our nursing teams, led by our stellar Chief Nursing Officer Gillian Otway, who always leads by example and is empowering nursing teams throughout ZSFG, creating a culture of continuous learning and service delivery.

Thank you all for showing up each day with empathy, humanity, and dedication. It is an honor to work alongside you – and to celebrate you this week and always.

Susan