I want to nominate Lark for the DAISY Award because of the compassion, good judgment, and strong advocacy she shows for her patients and their families. Two scenarios happened recently that I wanted to shed light on. She was also nominated by one of the patients at the University of Iowa.

One patient had just gone home and came back with a fever and low oxygen. Lark noticed right away that he was getting worse than before. He went from being able to walk with a little help to barely responding and not being able to stand. Lark spoke up to the doctor, advocated for him to get started on antibiotics, and pushed for more tests. When his wife worried that his fever came back, Lark checked right away and even got IV medicine since he couldn’t take pills. His wife told her, “I hope the next nurse is as good as you.”

Another patient came in with a bad foot wound and was very emotional. Lark sat with her, listened, and explained things so she felt calmer and understood what was going on. When the patient fell and got upset, Lark came to the patient with empathy and explained both the safety concerns and the reality of caring for multiple patients, while still validating her frustration. The patient said Lark always seemed to know what she needed before she asked, helped manage her pain, and explained everything clearly. She even asked for Lark by name on Lark's day off because she wanted her back.

Lark always notices when something isn’t right, speaks up for her patients, and makes sure they feel cared for and understood. She is always advocating for her nurses! Patient feedback and nomination stated: "Lark went above and beyond for me. She made my stay in the hospital so much better. She was always one step ahead in knowing what my needs were. She just made me feel better. Thank you so much."