SGMC Health honored Jeannie Starnes, Nurse Manager at SGMC Health Smith Northview, with its first DAISY Nurse Leader Award. This award honors exceptional nurse leaders who inspire their teams and create environments where compassionate and skillful care thrives. Starnes was nominated by a nurse on her team for her leadership during a particularly challenging time.

In the nomination, Starnes was commended for demonstrating extraordinary compassion and emotional strength after the devastating loss of a beloved member of the outpatient nursing team. On her day off, she personally contacted each staff member to deliver the difficult news, ensuring that no one learned of the tragedy from another source. Despite her own grief, Starnes provided her team with the emotional support they needed to cope with the loss, gathering items to create a memorial at the nurse's station and helping to organize a meal for the grieving family.

The nomination stated, "During a tragic and difficult time, she was the glue that helped hold us together. Smith Northview Outpatient is lucky and blessed to have her as our leader."

SGMC Health continues to ask patients and fellow employees to honor nurses they feel go above and beyond in their actions and care. Nominations are reviewed by a committee based on criteria that include compassion, teamwork, leadership, attitude, skills, and knowledge.

DAISY awards are presented monthly in front of the nurse's colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors. Each honoree receives a certificate commending her or him for being an "Extraordinary Nurse." They also receive a beautiful sculpture called A Healer's Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa. A special floral arrangement of daisies was generously donated by The Flower Gallery, the local sponsor of SGMC Health's DAISY Award.

To nominate a nurse for the DAISY award, visit sgmc.org/daisy.