Photo: (l-r) Rita Jury, Director of Nursing, Cindy Napientek, RN, and Pam White, Vice President of Nursing.


Being in the hospital on your birthday does not top anyone’s wish list. But a registered nurse at Mayo Clinic Health System – Oakridge in Osseo helped celebrate a special day for one patient. The patient nominated Cindy Napientek for The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.


The patient nominated Napientek for showing compassion and going out of her way to help where she could. “It has been my privilege to have her for my nurse. … She made my birthday special for me,” the patient says.


“I’m very surprised and honored. It’s nice to know that we make a difference,” says Napientek, who has worked at Mayo Clinic Health System – Oakridge for four years in Transitional Care.