Celebrating Our Extraordinary Nurses: The DAISY Awards at Grand Itasca

Throughout the year, we have collected DAISY Award nominations from patients, families, and colleagues to celebrate the extraordinary nurses who go above and beyond. With an incredible 193 nominations received, we are excited to recognize our nursing staff's exceptional care and compassion.

Each quarter, our committee reviews these nominations and selects a few finalists. From these finalists, we narrow down to the top three honorees of the year. We are proud to announce our 9 DAISY finalists for this year:

• Vicki Geving, RN - Oncology
• Dawn Hayes, RN - DI Nurse Navigator
• Rae-Jean Peterson, RN - Clinic
• Rachel Johnson, RN - Emergency Room
• Karisa Neururer, RN - Emergency Room
• Jeniffer Pellersels, RN - Emergency Room/MSP
• Elisa Schaar, RN - WHB
• Julie Skorczewski, RN - ICU/WHB
• Trisha Solem, RN - Emergency Room

 

The DAISY Foundation honors the extraordinary efforts of nurses like these who make a difference every day. Each DAISY Award honoree received:

• A certificate held in a portfolio proclaiming the recipient an "Extraordinary Nurse"
• A DAISY Award pin
• A unique, hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture from Zimbabwe, entitled "A Healer's Touch"
• A Spotlight page on the DAISY website, featuring a photo and story of why this nurse was honored
• A cinnamon roll, symbolizing the appreciation and nourishment provided by the nurses (inspired by Patrick's story, where a simple cinnamon roll made a significant impact on his hospital stay)

Our DAISY Honorees

We are proud to announce our three DAISY Award honorees for this year, selected from an outstanding pool of nominations. These exceptional nurses have demonstrated remarkable care, compassion, and dedication to their patients. Here are their inspiring stories:

Dawn Hayes, RN

A patient undergoing a follow-up breast MRI after breast cancer treatment experienced extreme anxiety due to a past allergic reaction to the MRI contrast. Dawn agreed to stay outside the MRI room for support and went above and beyond by sitting with the patient during the scan, holding her hand the entire time. The patient expressed that Dawn's kindness "changed my life!"

Rae-Jean Peterson, RN

On a particularly challenging shift, Rae-Jean's quick assessment and persistent advocacy for her postoperative patient, who was bleeding, led to life-saving treatment. Despite a night filled with unease and alarm, Rae-Jean's stellar documentation and continuous monitoring ensured her patient received the necessary care promptly, exemplifying the highest quality in nursing.

Vicki Geving, RN

Nominated for her exceptional care in the Grand Itasca Cancer Center, Vicki was instrumental in identifying a life-threatening blood clot in a chemotherapy patient. Her attentiveness, knowledge, and compassionate care have made her patients feel safe, informed, and cared for. One patient described Vicki as their "lifesaver," citing her as an outstanding nurse deserving of the DAISY Award.

We are immensely proud of our DAISY honorees and all our nursing staff who provide extraordinary care every day. Congratulations to all our nominees and finalists for their dedication, compassion, and excellence in nursing!

Do you know an extraordinary nurse? Nominate them for the DAISY Award here, and let their exceptional care shine!