The first word I would use to describe Kristy is: caring. The second word that comes to mind is: creative. Kristy pours herself into the compassionate care of our patients. She motivates our team to reach goals and consoles us in times of grief. In the last couple of weeks, I witnessed her care and creativity firsthand. Kristy was administering some painful injections to a patient that had been worried about the treatment. She was able to assess that his angst was partially about the injection but also about the stigma related to his diagnosis. As she administered the medication, she noticed that the patient was not himself and that his affect changed enough for her to be concerned for him. She offered education and support. The scenario was repeated the second week. At that time, she linked in the behavioral health provider to see about any other service that could be offered to the patient, knowing that likely his response was due to a traumatic experience. Despite the initial ambivalence, discomfort, and anxiety, the patient agreed to return for the third week of injections. Kristy took care of the whole patient. She saw the emotional impact of necessary treatment and explored all available resources within her team. This example can be seen repeated every week that I work with Kristy. She is an amazing nurse, a fierce advocate and mentor, and the best human I know.

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This award was established by the DAISY Foundation whose acronym stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. This is especially relevant as it applies to Kristy since she has worked with people living with HIV for 11 years with compassion and excellence. I believe that Kristy personifies a true DAISY Nurse. She was the Program Grants manager for the Western Colorado HIV Specialty Clinic until 2022 and has been a nurse caregiver for our clinic for that time and continues in that role. During her time as our program grants manager, she supported and helped expand access through new grant opportunities including a mental health expansion with increased attention to trauma-informed care as well as primary care psychiatry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we specifically expanded services through a grant that increased the ability to do home visits. Our patients and their families have always been the focus of her work with our program. She knows our patients by name, remembers their birthdays, and their pets, and knows their narratives. She is quick with a smile, a birthday card, and some food from our food pantry for our very vulnerable community of patients living with HIV. This is coupled with the strongest of clinical skills and experience which serves as a pillar for our clinic. We have always felt that we have been able to serve our patients better because we are a "family" bonded by our mission. Kristy helps to weave us together with her kindness, her hilarious sense of humor, and creativity. Her positive attitude is infectious, and we all benefit from this. I believe that she truly embodies a nurse deserving of the DAISY Award!