I am honored to nominate Jennifer Gooding for the DAISY Award in recognition of her exceptional dedication to patient care and her consistent embodiment of our ICARE values.

Jennifer routinely goes above and beyond to ensure her patients feel safe, supported, and genuinely cared for. Her compassionate presence, paired with strong clinical vigilance, leaves a lasting impression on both patients and colleagues.

Recently, Jennifer cared for a patient who was unexpectedly admitted for a staged PCI procedure. Although her shift was scheduled to end the following day, Jennifer made a point to visit the patient on the nursing unit. Upon seeing her, the patient exclaimed, “There you are—I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” During that visit, Jennifer noticed a change from the patient’s baseline mentation and immediately notified the physician.

A CT scan was ordered; however, the patient—confused and increasingly anxious—refused to proceed unless Jennifer accompanied him and his cardiologist confirmed the necessity of the test. While Dr. Q was in a procedure and unable to speak directly with the patient, Jennifer took initiative. She updated Dr. Q, obtained his verbal confirmation that the CT scan was medically necessary, and recorded the message. Jennifer then returned to the patient, played the recording, and calmly reassured him. The patient immediately responded, “Okay then…come on, we have to go now!”

Recognizing the patient’s trust in her, Jennifer requested approval to stay beyond her shift and personally escorted him to CT. Her actions ensured timely, appropriate care while also providing critical emotional reassurance during a vulnerable moment.

This is just one example of Jennifer’s unwavering commitment to our mission: “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.” Her integrity, compassion, and clinical excellence make her truly deserving of the DAISY Award.