May 2025 Honoree
Micaela Armstrong, RN
My colleague, Michaela Armstrong, demonstrates her extraordinary compassion, clinical excellence, and unwavering dedication to her patients and team. She is meticulous in every aspect of her care, ensuring that each patient-and their families-feel seen, heard and supported.
Whether it's through detailed attention to clinical tasks or her gentle, reassuring presence, she never misses an opportunity to provide holistic care that goes far beyond the basics. Families often comment on how comforted they feel knowing she is the one by their loved one' s side.
One moment that stands out occurred recently when she cared for a terminally ill patient who came back into the ED after being discharged from our unit following his CABG. She sat with the patient's wife for over an hour, holding her hand, and stayed by her side when the physicians delivered the most horrific, life-altering news to her: her beloved husband of nearly 57 years would not return home with her.
The patient's wife later shared with me that her presence brought her and her family peace during a profoundly difficult time and that it felt as though their loved one had been treated like family.
What inspires me the most is her ability to maintain her compassion no matter how tough the day is. In times when I have personally struggled with compassion fatigue, she shows up with her full heart. She is the kind of nurse who finds the strength to care even when the work is heavy-lifting others up simply by being who she is.
She is a role model for our team, not only because of her clinical skill, but because of her emotional intelligence, her grace under pressure, and her quiet leadership. She exemplifies everything the DAISY Award stands for.
It is a privilege to work alongside her, and I can't think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.
Whether it's through detailed attention to clinical tasks or her gentle, reassuring presence, she never misses an opportunity to provide holistic care that goes far beyond the basics. Families often comment on how comforted they feel knowing she is the one by their loved one' s side.
One moment that stands out occurred recently when she cared for a terminally ill patient who came back into the ED after being discharged from our unit following his CABG. She sat with the patient's wife for over an hour, holding her hand, and stayed by her side when the physicians delivered the most horrific, life-altering news to her: her beloved husband of nearly 57 years would not return home with her.
The patient's wife later shared with me that her presence brought her and her family peace during a profoundly difficult time and that it felt as though their loved one had been treated like family.
What inspires me the most is her ability to maintain her compassion no matter how tough the day is. In times when I have personally struggled with compassion fatigue, she shows up with her full heart. She is the kind of nurse who finds the strength to care even when the work is heavy-lifting others up simply by being who she is.
She is a role model for our team, not only because of her clinical skill, but because of her emotional intelligence, her grace under pressure, and her quiet leadership. She exemplifies everything the DAISY Award stands for.
It is a privilege to work alongside her, and I can't think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.
Thank you, Micaela, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
View More Honorees