It is my absolute pleasure to nominate my capstone nursing student, Jayleigh, for The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. She is truly one of a kind, a student nurse with the biggest heart and a deep, genuine passion for patient care. From day one, she has consistently gone above and beyond for her patients in a way that demonstrates the very essence of what it means to be a nurse.

One moment that stands out, among many, was when we cared for a patient who was both deaf and experiencing dementia. This patient struggled to communicate and relied solely on a whiteboard to express themselves. Unfortunately, our unit did not have one available. Without hesitation, my student called her significant other and asked them to bring one from home. She then gifted it to the patient, ensuring they had a way to communicate not only that day, but for the rest of their hospital stay. This simple act of kindness and foresight transformed the patient’s experience. It allowed them to express their needs, feel understood, and maintain a sense of dignity. Something that might have been otherwise lost without her thoughtful intervention. It’s just one example of how she approaches every situation with empathy, creativity, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to improve the lives of those in her care. She is already an extraordinary nurse in the making, and I have no doubt she will continue to touch countless lives throughout her career. It’s students like her who remind us all why we chose this profession. She embodies the spirit of the DAISY Award in every way.