I would like to nominate Catherine Mandara for the DAISY Award for her extraordinary care, compassion, and dedication – especially to our long-term patients. Long-term patients often struggle with feelings of loneliness and the loss of independence. Many of them go months, even over a year, without a single visitor or family contact. Cat goes above and beyond her role as a nurse to ensure that these patients feel seen, valued, and genuinely loved. She takes the time to learn what each patient enjoys, makes them hot chocolate, and celebrates their birthdays. She even arranges for patients’ laundry to be done in the psych department to keep their clothes clean. Cat was the start of Missy’s angels, and I wouldn’t have adopted my Missy girl if it were not for her. Cat used therapeutic communication to discover that our long-term patient’s dog was about to be picked up by the pound. Cat immediately sprang into action – she contacted his son and convinced him to bring the dog to the hospital. Not stopping there, she found a new, loving home for Missy with me.

Cat does not need to be assigned to long-term patients to care about them. Cat’s laugh is often heard coming from patients’ rooms even when she is not working in their section. She ensures they get showers at least once a week, keeps track of their needs, organizes fundraisers to support them, and encourages other staff members to be more involved in their care. She treats each of them as if they were her own family – bringing in personal supplies, tailoring care to their individual needs, and advocating for them with the same diligence as she would for any acute medical patient. Her compassion extends beyond patients. Cat is a pillar of her coworkers as well. Whether you’re on night shift, day shift, a new nurse, or seasoned staff, she’s always there to uplift, guide, and support. She leads by example always. She runs “Fun Club” on the second floor and organizes activities and fundraisers that build team morale and camaraderie. Cat has excelled in her role here and has become a mentor to new nurses, often precepting and assuming the role of charge nurse. Catherine Mandara is more than a nurse – her love for patients and coworkers, and her dedication, make her an inspiration to all who work with and are cared for by her. She embodies the true spirit of the DAISY Award.