Joanne is compassionate, empathetic, selfless, self-aware, and most importantly demonstrates by example that all patients and their families are at the center of all we do at MEE. These qualities are the heart of nursing. Although there are many exemplary examples I would like to share, the following in my opinion exemplifies the essences of the DAISY Award.

This past summer, Joanne was the primary nurse caring for not only a pediatric patient with special medical needs, she also cared for the child's parents, who are deaf or hard of hearing. The parents of this special child had been through some very challenging medical issues and had prior experiences that caused them to be hyper-vigilant and subsequently viewed as "difficult" by some caregivers. Joanne recognized that this family needed a therapeutic relationship with a caregiver to be able to trust healthcare again.

Through Joanne's exemplary and compassionate care she gained that trust and respect from the child's parents. Both the parents and the care team felt that this child belonged at home and not chronically in hospitals as she had been for most of her young life. Joanne's care and compassion created the atmosphere for the parents to learn how to care for their child and they were able to take their child home.

Joanne led her pediatric team by demonstrating what it means to be a nurse worthy of the DAISY Award.