Kelly Banasiak
December 2025
Kelly
Banasiak
,
RN
Cardiology
Northwell Health Physician Partners
Port Jefferson Station
,
NY
United States
When I think about the defining characteristics that embody past DAISY Award recipients: compassion, clinical excellence, patient advocacy, integrity, and commitment, Kelly Banasiak is the perfect example. Kelly not only lives up to the values of this prestigious recognition, but she also defines them.
Over the past six years, I’ve had the pleasure of watching Kelly's growth, leadership, and her genuine care for every single patient she encounters. Kelly began her nursing career on the telemetry unit at Glen Cove Hospital. In 2019, she transitioned to the outpatient setting, supporting Dr. Puneet Gandotra, Chair of Cardiology. Kelly immediately formed strong, trusting relationships with his patients, who consistently praised her kindness, compassion, and unwavering dedication to going above and beyond. Her impact was not only felt by patients but also by the entire care team. Kelly helped define and elevate the standard of care for the practice. When Dr. Maria Avila joined the practice in2021 to develop the Heart Failure Program in the eastern region, Kelly again stepped up.
A large part of Kelly’s time in the Heart Failure Program was spent identifying ways to improve patients’ quality of life. She worked diligently to engage patients and their families in recognizing the importance of consistent care and follow-up. Kelly became a champion of the Cardio MEMS program, traveling to Texas on her own time to attend national conferences and staying current with the latest evidence-based practices. Using this knowledge, she developed a robust, efficient Cardio MEMS clinic, streamlining workflows, building relationships, and ultimately reducing hospital readmissions. She came to know her patients so well that she could gently call them out when they were non-compliant, always with empathy, earning their trust and inspiring them to stay on track. Over time, many would say, “I know Kelly’s watching, I don’t want to disappoint her.”
One story during her time supporting the heart failure program perfectly captures Kelly’s character: unbeknownst to me, she brought her laptop with her on a trip to Aruba “just in case someone needed her.” I told her she deserved uninterrupted time off, and she simply replied, “These patients are like family. It takes two minutes of my life, which is a lotless than worrying if they get admitted.”
Kelly doesn’t just care for her patients… she knows them. She remembers their family members, milestones, hardships, anniversaries, and even their pets. She’s driven to patients’ homes to personally deliver heart failure medications. She fiercely advocates with insurance providers and prescription plans, determined to remove any barrier that could prevent someone from accessing life-saving medication.
The praise Kelly receives is endless. I have received countless letters, Press Ganey comments, emails, and phone calls from patients, families, providers, and leadership, all recognizing her exceptional care, dedication, and kindness.
In 2023, Kelly joined the Eastern Region Float Pool, expanding her knowledge and sharing her expertise across several service lines, including medicine, OB/GYN, and orthopedics. During this time, she built strong relationships with team members and leaders across the region. I frequently received requests from physicians, managers, and colleagues asking if she could work exclusively with them. My response is always the same: “We have to share the wealth.”
Kelly maintains the relationships that she developed during this time and continues to serve as a trusted mentor and sounding board for less experienced nurses, always offering advice, perspective, or simply a listening ear.
Most recently, Kelly began supporting Dr. Eric Pagan’s Electrophysiology Program at both Mather and South Shore University Hospital. She embraced the challenge, diving into new clinical knowledge and fostering seamless collaboration across multiple offices and hospitals to ensure continuous, coordinated care for patients.
Kelly Banasiak is the kind of nurse every patient hopes to have, every colleague wants on their team, and every leader wishes they could clone. Her quiet excellence, humility, and relentless dedication are extraordinary.
Over the past six years, I’ve had the pleasure of watching Kelly's growth, leadership, and her genuine care for every single patient she encounters. Kelly began her nursing career on the telemetry unit at Glen Cove Hospital. In 2019, she transitioned to the outpatient setting, supporting Dr. Puneet Gandotra, Chair of Cardiology. Kelly immediately formed strong, trusting relationships with his patients, who consistently praised her kindness, compassion, and unwavering dedication to going above and beyond. Her impact was not only felt by patients but also by the entire care team. Kelly helped define and elevate the standard of care for the practice. When Dr. Maria Avila joined the practice in2021 to develop the Heart Failure Program in the eastern region, Kelly again stepped up.
A large part of Kelly’s time in the Heart Failure Program was spent identifying ways to improve patients’ quality of life. She worked diligently to engage patients and their families in recognizing the importance of consistent care and follow-up. Kelly became a champion of the Cardio MEMS program, traveling to Texas on her own time to attend national conferences and staying current with the latest evidence-based practices. Using this knowledge, she developed a robust, efficient Cardio MEMS clinic, streamlining workflows, building relationships, and ultimately reducing hospital readmissions. She came to know her patients so well that she could gently call them out when they were non-compliant, always with empathy, earning their trust and inspiring them to stay on track. Over time, many would say, “I know Kelly’s watching, I don’t want to disappoint her.”
One story during her time supporting the heart failure program perfectly captures Kelly’s character: unbeknownst to me, she brought her laptop with her on a trip to Aruba “just in case someone needed her.” I told her she deserved uninterrupted time off, and she simply replied, “These patients are like family. It takes two minutes of my life, which is a lotless than worrying if they get admitted.”
Kelly doesn’t just care for her patients… she knows them. She remembers their family members, milestones, hardships, anniversaries, and even their pets. She’s driven to patients’ homes to personally deliver heart failure medications. She fiercely advocates with insurance providers and prescription plans, determined to remove any barrier that could prevent someone from accessing life-saving medication.
The praise Kelly receives is endless. I have received countless letters, Press Ganey comments, emails, and phone calls from patients, families, providers, and leadership, all recognizing her exceptional care, dedication, and kindness.
In 2023, Kelly joined the Eastern Region Float Pool, expanding her knowledge and sharing her expertise across several service lines, including medicine, OB/GYN, and orthopedics. During this time, she built strong relationships with team members and leaders across the region. I frequently received requests from physicians, managers, and colleagues asking if she could work exclusively with them. My response is always the same: “We have to share the wealth.”
Kelly maintains the relationships that she developed during this time and continues to serve as a trusted mentor and sounding board for less experienced nurses, always offering advice, perspective, or simply a listening ear.
Most recently, Kelly began supporting Dr. Eric Pagan’s Electrophysiology Program at both Mather and South Shore University Hospital. She embraced the challenge, diving into new clinical knowledge and fostering seamless collaboration across multiple offices and hospitals to ensure continuous, coordinated care for patients.
Kelly Banasiak is the kind of nurse every patient hopes to have, every colleague wants on their team, and every leader wishes they could clone. Her quiet excellence, humility, and relentless dedication are extraordinary.