Chelsea Gehring
January 2026
Chelsea
Gehring
,
RN
CVICU
St. Joseph's Hospital
Tampa
,
FL
United States
Chelsea remained with the patient and their family throughout the final moments of the patient’s life, providing comfort, presence, and unwavering compassion.
I would like to nominate Chelsea for the DAISY Award in recognition of their continuous compassionate care for patients and families. One particularly meaningful example occurred when this nurse was serving as the charge nurse. During the night shift, the attending RN was unable to reach a patient’s family to explain that the patient was critically ill and unlikely to survive the night. The patient repeatedly asked for their family, clearly distressed by the absence. Recognizing how important it was for the patient to see their loved one, Chelsea took it upon herself to help. They gently asked the patient if there was anyone else who could be contacted.

The patient mentioned a neighbor, knowing only the neighbor’s first name. The nurse immediately began investigating. Through determination and persistence, they were able to locate the neighbor’s phone number and personally asked the neighbor to go to the home and knock on the door so the team could make contact and explain the situation. When it became clear that the family member was unable to drive, Chelsea went even further by coordinating with the pediatric AOD to arrange an Uber to bring the family safely to the hospital.

Chelsea remained with the patient and their family throughout the final moments of the patient’s life, providing comfort, presence, and unwavering compassion. Because of this dedication, the patient did not pass alone; the patient passed three hours later with their loved one by their side.

This is just one example of the compassion, advocacy, and humanity this nurse demonstrates every day. They consistently go above and beyond to ensure that patients and families feel supported, heard, and cared for, even in the most difficult moments.