Melissa Provost, MSN Adjunct Faculty of the School of Nursing and Allied Health, and graduating nursing student, Kendall Jurecka, were presented with DAISY Awards during the BSN nursing pinning ceremony held on Dec. 17, 2021.
The DAISY Award was created by the DAISY Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 1999 by the family of Patrick Barnes who died at the age of 33 from idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The award’s name is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System and is presented to extraordinary nurses who go above and beyond to make extraordinary differences in the lives of their patients and families facing a health crisis. The award also honors nursing students who stand out and make a difference during their clinical experiences and interactions with others and celebrates nursing faculty for their inspirational influence on the nurses of today and tomorrow.
Provost was selected from among 4 faculty nominees and Jurecka was chosen from among 10 student nominees using a blinded-selection process that assesses the content of the nominations only.
Provost was nominated for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty by graduating nursing student, Mirna Ramirez, who described her professor as extremely intelligent, passionate about sharing her knowledge, and kind. “We are so grateful for her kindness, thoughtfulness, understanding, guidance, and support. She made my last nursing school clinical very educational which helped me with my nursing skills and in my course,” said Ramirez.
Jurecka, a graduating nursing student, was nominated for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students by fellow nursing student, Hailey Lindsey, who described her classmate as “a constant inspiration and motivator to both [herself] and other students.”
Lindsey commended Jurecka for her poise, desire to help others, and dedication to Christ and her studies. “I could not nominate someone more deserving for the DAISY award than Kendall because she exemplifies compassion, eagerness to help others, and a dedication to her peers and patients. She will make a wonderful nurse,” said Lindsey.
In addition to receiving the DAISY award pin, each recipient receives a specially-encased DAISY award certificate, a Healer’s Touch sculpture, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe, along with a gift card from a local bakery.
Each award recipient is recognized on the DAISY Foundation website and also receives various academic honoree benefits, including an ANCC Certification offer, Cherokee Medical Uniform Conference Scholarship, membership in the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, medical mission grants, and membership in DAISY Foundation social media groups. For more information on HBU’s nursing program, visit HBU’s School of Nursing and Allied Health. To learn more about the DAISY Awards, visit the DAISY Foundation.