I would like to nominate my nurse, Carrolee, for the DAISY Award. I was at Essentia for a colonoscopy and was a little nervous about the procedure as it had been ten years since the only other time I had had it done. I am seventy-five years old now and have just gone through a terrible ordeal with the E. Coli outbreak connected to McDonald's. We ate there on our way to visit our daughter in California. Thankfully, it took two weeks to make me sick, so I wasn't going through that at our daughter's place or on the trip home.

With the E. Coli, I made a trip to Fargo, an hour and a half (worried about explosive bloody diarrhea), to Essentia Emergency Department. There was nothing they could do for me, but at least I found out that it was E. Coli making me so terribly sick. Then, I had to make the return trip home. My wife tried to be prepared for anything! After a whole week of constant diarrhea, I was not looking forward to my preciously scheduled colonoscopy just a couple of weeks later. When nurse Carrolee came into the room in the endoscopy unit as I was getting prepped for the colonoscopy, she was smiling and welcoming. Her voice was so calming and pleasant as she went about her duties. She explained things in an informative and reassuring way, which helped me feel less apprehensive when I normally have "white coat syndrome".

After my procedure, nurse Carrolee was gentle in removing the IV and tape. All along, she was so friendly and cordial that I just had to tell her that I was so happy with the care that I got at Essentia. Everyone was pleasant and seemed to enjoy their chosen profession. I have had medical procedures in the past at other places, and I did not have that kind of experience. Thank you, nurse Carrolee, and all at Essentia!