It is with great enthusiasm that I nominate Keith Munyan, RN, for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurse Educators.

Throughout my collaboration with Keith and another educator over the course of three separate Palm Beach State College (PBSC) ASN clinical group rotations at JFK North, I have been continually impressed by their dedication to fostering a welcoming and robust learning environment for nursing students.

From the beginning, Keith and his peer have been exceptionally generous with their time and resources, ensuring that every PBSC student feels welcomed and supported. Their efforts align their educational approach with the hospital’s commitment to provide advanced healthcare services with a compassionate, patient-focused approach. By offering a comprehensive introduction and orientation to each student group; they have extended a welcoming presence, established clear professional expectations, and made every learning opportunity available throughout the semester.

Keith and his peer have also gone above and beyond to provide individualized support to students who require extra assistance, whether it’s taking a few moments to facilitate 1:1 instruction with IV starts for first-year students or reviewing dosage calculations with second-year students. 

Furthermore, Keith and his peer have worked diligently to inspire students to consider HCA as a safe, innovative, and growth-oriented practice environment. Keith Munyan advocated for the development of a new nurse externship role at JFK North for a PBSC nursing student who had shown exceptional talent and character, despite the specific unit never having considered externs before. His ability to think outside the box ensured the student received the support needed to succeed, fostering both the student’s growth and the hospital's commitment to nurturing future nurses. Keith’s leadership has been essential in cultivating both a supportive and high-caliber nursing culture that welcomes and nurtures students.

For these reasons, I strongly recommend Keith Munyan for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurse Educators. His work not only supports the engagement and learning of nursing students but also reflects the values of HCA JFK Hospital North Campus in providing compassionate, patient-focused care. Their exceptional impact on those they educate and their inspirational influence on their students' futures make them truly deserving of this recognition.

***

I have had the pleasure of working with Keith at JFK North. From an HR perspective, his efforts in elevating the education role and ensuring staff are continuously learning and staying certified are commendable. His dedication to being available for staff certification validation and his proactive approach in working closely with HR to ensure compliance are exceptional. Keith’s commitment to reaching out personally to staff reflects a strong sense of responsibility and support, which is invaluable in fostering a culture of growth and compliance within the organization.

Keith's response to the departure of the second educator has been nothing short of remarkable. In August alone, he taught nearly three dozen classes to support the Behavioral Health Action Plan, demonstrating incredible flexibility and dedication by accommodating early morning and late evening schedules to meet staff needs. His willingness to teach additional Mock Code Blue classes and organize specialized training for the ED, SPD, and OR further highlights his commitment to ensuring staff are well-prepared and informed.

Keith’s dedication to the future nurses is truly admirable. By meeting with every clinical group on their first day and providing a guided tour, he ensures that they experience the “Care Like Family” culture that North strives for. His commitment to conducting regular check-ins during their clinical rotations further supports their integration and development. This proactive approach not only helps new nurses feel welcomed and aligned with the organization’s values but also fosters a supportive environment for their growth and success.

His willingness to volunteer for multiple committees, such as the Code Blue Committee, CNC Council, PCT Council, and various unit councils, underscores his commitment to improving the organization from multiple angles. Spearheading the transition to new crash carts, including converting the old ones, further exemplifies his proactive approach and problem-solving skills.

Actively guiding four staff members as they work toward earning their master's in nursing degrees demonstrates his dedication to supporting their professional growth and development. His mentorship not only helps these individuals achieve their educational goals but also contributes to building a stronger, more skilled nursing team for the future.

Based on Keith’s exceptional contributions—his extensive teaching, commitment to multiple committees, proactive approach to new initiatives, and dedicated mentorship—it is clear that he embodies the qualities celebrated by the DAISY Award.

***

I am nominating Keith for his continued dedication to our nursing team at HCA Florida JFK North. Keith has tirelessly strived to elevate care demonstrated by his efforts and engagement. Keith goes above and beyond every day leading by example to drive excellence. He is actively involved with many education initiatives that elevate quality, process, negate errors, onboard our new team, and continue to drive excellence, and elevate growth. Keith is a very crucial, core member of our nursing leadership team. Because of Keith's dedication, the team at JFK North continues to improve every day.

***

There are numerous instances where Keith has gone above and beyond to support nursing and improve the care we provide at JFK North, but I will share two from this past year. In March, for Patient Safety Awareness Week, we asked Keith to host an interactive education event that focused on safety. Keith took the request and created an interactive room for staff to come in and identify all the patient errors, this was called the Room of Errors. The errors included not scanning the patient's wrist band for medications, the foley bag being on the floor and mislabeled specimens to name just a few. He staffed the room at various times that would allow for both day and night shift staff to attend. He then proceeded to move the room to our BH area and customized the errors to be applicable for that patient population. It was a tremendous hit with staff, with the winners being awarded prizes. This was in addition to his regular roles and responsibilities.

The second instance followed a significant safety event in our BH area. A patient had a medical emergency, and staff were not confident on how to respond. As part of our improvement work, Keith created a class, "Code Blue, what to do," that was specifically geared to BH nurses and MHTs who did not have as much experience with medical emergencies. It was an interactive, hands-on class that allowed staff a safe environment to practice emergency skills and fostered a collaborative environment where no questions were thought of as silly. This allowed our BH nursing team to gain a level of confidence they previously did not have. In addition, he held multiple mock codes in the BH units to allow for additional hands-on training.

Keith is a dedicated professional who goes above and beyond daily to support all staff at JFK North. He very much deserves to be a DAISY Honoree.