My mother had open heart bypass surgery and Tasha was her nurse when she was transferred from CICU to the cardiac intermediate care unit. My mother faced a number of problems after surgery, some of which had no definitive cause. Tasha had a kind character that inspired cooperation between staff and doctors which greatly enhanced my mother's care. She responded to any situation with a positive attitude that decreased the stress on my mother and her family. She was an advocate for my mother's physical and emotional needs. She took great care in explaining any situation in a manner I could understand. I didn't have a medical background so I didn't understand the terminology/jargon that was related to my mother's condition. Tasha was not only a nurse, but acted as my resource for information. She made sure that my mother understood what was being done and why. I could see my mother was scared but she would visibly relax while being cared for by Tasha. Tasha early on identified potential problem and coordinated nurses and consults from different areas of the hospital to decipher the problem. Tasha truly cares about her patients and their families. She even checked on my mother when she wasn't scheduled to work her particular room. Tasha Smith is extremely deserving of this DAISY award. She is someone special. Tasha's attitude, professionalism, and drive for exceptional patient care reflect great credit upon herself, WakeMed, and all nursing professionals.