Albany Emergency Department Nurse Erika Lentz Earns DAISY Award February 23, 2026 Samaritan Albany General Hospital has partnered with The DAISY Foundation to recognize extraordinary nurses for the compassionate care they provide to patients and families every day. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. Erika Lentz, RN, is the first Emergency Department nurse at Samaritan Albany General Hospital to receive the DAISY Award. Known for her calm presence and compassion, Lentz is a valued member of the ED team. She joined Samaritan in 2024, bringing extensive experience from hospitals across Oregon. Her colleagues describe her as genuine, deeply dedicated and grounded in the values of nursing. Honoring the Work Behind the Award She was nominated by fellow staff members who recognized her for the humanity and kindness she brings to highly emotional situations. The nominators stated: “Pediatric emergencies are among the most difficult moments our team faces, and Erika consistently brings compassion, calm and humanity to even the hardest situations. Recently, Erika learned that a young patient’s sibling was spending a birthday in the hospital shortly after a profound family loss. Wanting to bring comfort during an unimaginably difficult time, Erika used her break and her own money to purchase a small birthday gift, ensuring the child felt cared for on that day. She then gathered team members to sing happy birthday.“Even while carrying the emotional weight of caring for the family the night before, Erika chose kindness. Her compassion in that moment is just one example of the extraordinary care she shows to patients, families and colleagues.“Erika continually goes above and beyond — lifting the spirits of her team, creating a sense of togetherness and bringing warmth and generosity to every shift. She truly embodies the values of nursing, and we are honored to recognize her as our DAISY Award recipient.” Lentz’s supervisor, Kymberlin Wobig, says she brings a quiet strength to her work and consistently provides compassionate, meticulous care. “Erika is one of those rare people you always hope to have on your team,” Wobig said. “She is kind, genuine and is unwaveringly dedicated. Though she may believe she’s simply coming to work to do her job, her humility is exactly what makes her so remarkable. Each day, her calm presence and thoughtful care make a profound difference for every patient she encounters. We are truly fortunate to have someone of Erika’s caliber.” A Moment Worth Celebrating A ceremony was held to honor Lentz and the PRIDE — passion, respect, integrity, dedication and excellence — she shows in her work. At the ceremony, Lentz l was celebrated by her colleagues, leaders and members of the ED team. She was presented with a certificate, DAISY pin and a beautiful Healer’s Touch statue created by an artist in Zimbabwe, which symbolizes the relationship between nurses, patients and families. Along with public recognition, DAISY award winners receive financial discounts for nursing certification training, reduced tuition for continued education, conference scholarship opportunities and are eligible for the national DAISY Award. Excellence in Nursing The DAISY Award was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes to “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, from student through a lifetime of achievement.” To learn more, visit DAISYfoundation.org. To nominate an extraordinary Samaritan nurse, go to samhealth.org/DAISY.
