ER Nurse Recognized with Daisy Award for Calm, Compassionate Care

The DAISY Award is a national recognition honoring nurses who go above and beyond in delivering extraordinary, compassionate, and skillful care. Kari embodies all of that and so much more.

Born and raised in Fort Bragg, Kari has been caring for our community in the Adventist Health Mendocino Coast Emergency Department for more than 18 years. Nursing runs in her blood, her mother was also a nurse at the hospital for 35 years. “I pretty much grew up in the hospital,” Kari shares. “Watching my mom care for others inspired me so much. I always knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps.”

Though she’s lived elsewhere at times, Kari always found her way back home. “I’m rooted here and love it here. This is my home,” she says. Her dedication to serving her community is evident in every interaction and her recent DAISY Award nomination is a powerful testament to that.

Kari was nominated by a patient who came to our Emergency Department while experiencing a traumatic and life-threatening situation. From the moment the patient arrived, Kari remained calm, focused, and compassionate, offering not just critical medical care, but emotional strength and reassurance.

“Kari cleaned me up quickly and thoroughly, all while reassuring me I was in safe hands,” the patient wrote. “She worked tirelessly through the night to stabilize me as I continued to lose blood. She never panicked. She never left me. She looked me in the eyes and made me feel heard and supported. I will never forget when she got down at eye level and said, ‘Be strong. You need to get back to your boys and your husband.’ Her words and her presence gave me strength.”

That night, Kari didn’t just save a life, she offered peace and hope, and gave this patient the will to keep going.

“Kari probably thinks she was just doing her job,” the patient continued. “But she saved my life. And now that I’ve shared my story, I know I’m not the only one. Everyone who knows Kari agrees — she’s an incredible nurse and an even more incredible human.”

Kari remains humble about her role, always emphasizing the importance of teamwork and community support.

Whether it’s her skill, her heart, or her quiet strength under pressure, Kari Paoli makes a life-changing difference in the lives of those she cares for. She is everything the DAISY Award represents. Thank you, Kari, for the incredible care you bring to our hospital, our patients, and our community every single day.

The DAISY award was created as a national recognition opportunity in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, whose family was deeply moved by the exceptional nursing care provided during his illness. The DAISY Foundation honors and celebrates nurses throughout the nation for their clinical excellence, deep compassion, and the profound impact they have on the patients and families they serve. At Adventist Health Mendocino Coast, nominations for the DAISY award can be submitted by anyone. Nomination forms are available throughout the facility or ask a staff member for a form.