Nicole Dash, RN, of SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital 5 South, has been named the hospital’s newest DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® honoree. Dash was selected for prestigious recognition after providing exceptional, compassionate, and truly transformative care during a family’s most challenging night.
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®, an international recognition program, honors the remarkable skill, kindness, and humanity nurses bring to patient care each day. Established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who passed away in 1999 from complications of ITP, the DAISY Foundation was created by his family to thank nurses for the extraordinary difference they make for patients and families through both clinical excellence and compassionate presence.
Dash was nominated by the spouse of a patient who was experiencing severe delirium due to a complex medical condition. The situation was emotionally draining, physically demanding, and at times frightening – for the patient, his family, and the clinical team.
According to the nomination:
“Her exceptional care and compassion made a profound impact on both my husband and me during an incredibly challenging night.”
Throughout the shift, Dash recognized that the presence of multiple staff members was escalating the patient’s agitation. With calm confidence, she stepped forward to lead the care response. She asked that only she enter the room to reduce overstimulation, and this thoughtful decision immediately eased the patient’s distress.
Repeatedly called to the bedside throughout the night, Dash responded every time with patience and a soothing voice, working tirelessly to understand the patient’s needs when he could not communicate clearly. Her clinical judgment was matched by her attention to detail: noticing that a bedside floor mat posed a tripping hazard, she removed and replaced it with every transfer, despite the physical burden.
It was Dash’s recognition of the spouse’s presence and emotional labor that left the deepest impression. “What struck me most was when she thanked me for staying with my husband. She saw me as a vital part of his care team. That meant everything.”
The nomination describes Dash as a nurse who embodies the very spirit of the DAISY Award – someone who provides holistic care, advocates fiercely for patient safety, and uplifts families with empathy, humor, and respect. Her ability to adapt, solve problems, and lead through compassionate presence exemplifies nursing at its highest level.
Dash was celebrated in a ceremony surrounded by colleagues and leaders. She received a certificate recognizing her as an “Extraordinary Nurse,” a DAISY Award pin, and the traditional “A Healer’s Touch” sculpture, hand-carved by Shona artisans in Zimbabwe – an international symbol of gratitude for exceptional nursing.
“The kind of work nurses at SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital are called to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award,” according to Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “These nurses are often the unsung heroes of health care, and we are honored to help shine a light on their extraordinary contributions.”
More information about The DAISY Award can be found at DAISYFoundation.org.
Nicole Dash (second from left), RN, SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital 5 South, receives a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® from leaders (left to right) Tami Schattschneider, Lori Cardinal, and Wendy Hoepfner.