This is a nomination for Margaret Binsfeld, Registered Nurse and Director of the Emergency Trauma Center at the St. Cloud Hospital, for the DAISY Award. Since joining our team two years ago, Margaret (Margo) has demonstrated kindness and compassion to her entire staff. While Margo does not regularly work on the floor doing direct patient care, she is often found on the unit answering call lights, assisting with cares, or helping to cover teams so that her staff is cared for. There is not a job that Margo will not do while assisting on the floor. Margo indirectly and directly oversees a staff of more than 100 staff members of many different job classes working in the Emergency and Trauma Center.

Since joining the team, Margo has shown initiative to listen to the needs of staff, often acting as their advocate during difficult decisions or times and remaining transparent. Staff feel comfortable approaching her during hard times, but also enjoy celebrating those who are good with her. She has been the biggest champion for our staff and helps them to feel empowered. She cares about each individual staff member and their well-being. As a direct reporting staff member to Margo and having gone through my own difficult times in the past year, Margo has always been an open door for me. She was one of the first people that I texted when I found out about a serious illness, and one of the first to reach out to me to see what I needed as an individual, not as an employee. She encourages my own personal wellness and makes sure that I care for myself in the manner that I should. She was also one of the first to cheer when I received good news about my diagnosis. This is unfounded to find a supervisor who cares this much about her staff.

Margo shares a deep compassion for the patients that we care for. She is often found making phone calls to patients who have had concerns and is quick to try to resolve issues. She has spearheaded many initiatives within our department to improve patient satisfaction, throughput, and exceptional care. Margo collaborates with her staff and works to implement change that will positively benefit the entire department. While spearheading these initiatives, she also hands the reins over to the frontline staff to work on solutions, all while being their biggest cheerleader and supporter. She was influential in assisting with obtaining supplies for a dignity closet so that we can make sure that our patients always leave with the best possible outcome and are well dressed for the weather, even if they didn’t come in dressed for the elements. During one instance when a family was thanking me for the care provided to their loved one, Margo was able to use the story to help with obtaining funding and starting a project within the department to provide support to the loved one when a patient passes away. She stood right beside me and cried just as hard as I did over the recognition received from this family.

Margo has a very difficult job. While doing this job, she has remained present to her staff, always open to talk, listen, and an empathetic ear when one is needed, or an employee just needs to vent. Margo has inspired compassion and empathy in a department that sometimes lacked these key features. Margo deserves all of the recognition possible for the job that she has done within the department to help us turn a corner.