Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton Honors Emergency Department Nurse with DAISY Award

Pictured is Teg Sarna, BSN, RN, Emergency Department at RWJUH Hamilton with his award certificate.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Hamilton, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, held a morning ceremony to honor a nurse with the prestigious DAISY Award. Recipients of the award are chosen from among many submissions by patients, family members and co-workers. Teg Sarna, BSN, RN, of the Emergency Department was presented with the award by Dawn Hutchinson, Chief Nursing Officer, who read a nomination letter from a community member sharing that both their elderly mother and father had visited the Emergency Department on several occasions, and that Teg's kindness, compassion, knowledge and love for his job made them excited when they saw that Teg was going to be their nurse again on their last visit. "He has gone above and beyond to be helpful, friendly and is just an all-around great person," said the nominator. "I would nominate him 100 times over!"

Teg first became a team member at RWJUH Hamilton in 2023 after applying and being accepted into the Student Nurse Externship Program at RWJBarnabas Health, an 8-10-week program held during the summer. Upon graduating from nursing school in spring 2024, he was accepted into the New Graduate RN Residency Program at RWJBarnabas Health, with placement at RWJUH Hamilton. He shared that he always knew he wanted a career in health care and that his experiences and training through opportunities at RWJBarnabas Health's The Institute for Nursing Excellence and Center for Professional Development, Innovation and Research (CPDIR) helped build on his skills, training and practice, helping shape him into the nurse he is today. He also wanted to thank his nurse preceptors, Caroline Voorhees and Augustus Brown.

Pictured left to right are Tammy Leigh, MSN, RN, Administrative Director, Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit; Dawn Hutchinson, MSN, RN, PCCN, NEA-BC, Chief Nursing Officer; Teg Sarna, BSN, RN; Lisa Breza, Chief Administrative Officer; and Diane Grillo, Vice President, Health Promotion.

"Teg exemplifies what nursing is all about-compassion, dedication and extraordinary care, shared Dawn Hutchinson. "We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved DAISY Award." The DAISY Award is an international program that recognizes nurses for their compassionate and skillful care of patients and families and is an ongoing recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care RWJUH Hamilton nurses provide daily. Learn more at rwjbh.org/daisyaward.

Present at the ceremony to celebrate were fellow nurse colleagues Tammy Leigh, MSN, RN, Administrative Director, Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit; Cheryl Prall, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Director, Center for Professional Development, Innovation and Research; and Jen Chaiken, MSN, RN, CEN, NPD-BC, Clinical Nurse Educator, Emergency Department.

"Teg makes a difference every day through his kindness, commitment and genuine compassion for patients and families. We are so proud to recognize him with this DAISY Award," added Tammy Leigh.

RWJUH Hamilton is Magnet® recognized for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center - the nation's most prestigious nursing honor. It's more than 300 nurses serve in various roles throughout the hospital, including inpatient, surgical and emergency care, cancer care, outpatient services, care management, education, clinical research, infection prevention, quality improvement, patient navigation services, information technology services, community outreach and administration.

Visit rwjbh.org/nursing

Media Contact:
Sherry Smith
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