I would like to nominate one of the most selfless, compassionate, and dedicated nurses I’ve ever worked with—Barno. She consistently goes above and beyond for both her patients and her coworkers, and one specific moment truly exemplified the kind of nurse and human being she is.

I had received a patient from Barno’s care, and as we were giving report, she mentioned a foul smell in the room that she had been trying to eliminate. She explained that she had already bathed the patient head to toe twice, but the odor still lingered. Eventually, she discovered that the smell was coming from the patient’s clothing, which had been placed in a belongings bag. The patient shared with her that during transport via ambulance, he hadn’t been given a urinal in time and had an accident. Barno told me, almost apologetically, “Sorry, I had to leave the clothes on the chair to dry.” I was confused at first and asked why they were wet. That’s when she shared that during her lunch break, she had taken the patient’s soiled clothes to the laundromat to wash them. She didn’t have enough time to fully dry them before returning to her shift. I was absolutely blown away—not just by the act itself, but by her humility. She didn’t mention it to be praised. She wasn’t trying to be noticed. She was apologizing for not being able to finish drying the clothes. This small but powerful gesture speaks volumes about Barno’s heart. Her commitment to preserving her patient’s dignity, even during her personal break time, is something I will never forget. It’s the kind of care that defines what nursing is truly about. Barno embodies the spirit of the DAISY Award in every way.