Emma
Sobieralski
May 2026
Emma
Sobieralski
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh
,
WI
United States
Her thoughtful approach reassured the parents as they completed the consent forms with the interpreter, creating an environment in which the family felt respected, valued, and understood.
Emma exemplifies the compassion, skill, and humanity at the heart of nursing, and her resilience makes her truly extraordinary. During a recent community vaccine clinic, Emma provided exceptional care to a Haitian family who spoke no English. Despite the communication barrier, she immediately connected with the young children through play—offering stickers, engaging them in gentle activities, and using a warm, calm presence to ease their anxiety. Her thoughtful approach reassured the parents as they completed the consent forms with the interpreter, creating an environment in which the family felt respected, valued, and understood.
When it was time to administer vaccines, Emma transformed the experience with her positivity. She cheered, clapped, and celebrated the children’s bravery, turning a potentially stressful moment into one filled with encouragement and joy. Her ability to make the entire family feel safe and supported demonstrates exceptional patient-centered care. Emma’s actions reflect every element of the DAISY Award criteria. What makes Emma’s performance truly extraordinary is the resilience she has shown during one of the most painful seasons of her life. Between her Sr 1 and Sr 2, final semester of nursing school—already one of the most demanding periods for any student—Emma endured the tragic loss of her mother in a car accident this winter.
Despite profound grief, she has continued to show up with compassion, strength, and dedication to her patients and peers. Her ability to offer comfort to others while navigating her own heartbreak is a profound testament to her character. Emma’s resilience is not simply the ability to continue moving forward; it is the way she continues moving forward—with grace, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to being the kind of nurse who makes a difference in people’s lives. Emma embodies the spirit of the DAISY Award. She is compassionate, skilled, deeply human, and remarkably strong. Her courage and resilience, paired with her natural ability to connect with patients and families, make her an extraordinary nursing student and a future nurse who will uplift every patient she meets.
When it was time to administer vaccines, Emma transformed the experience with her positivity. She cheered, clapped, and celebrated the children’s bravery, turning a potentially stressful moment into one filled with encouragement and joy. Her ability to make the entire family feel safe and supported demonstrates exceptional patient-centered care. Emma’s actions reflect every element of the DAISY Award criteria. What makes Emma’s performance truly extraordinary is the resilience she has shown during one of the most painful seasons of her life. Between her Sr 1 and Sr 2, final semester of nursing school—already one of the most demanding periods for any student—Emma endured the tragic loss of her mother in a car accident this winter.
Despite profound grief, she has continued to show up with compassion, strength, and dedication to her patients and peers. Her ability to offer comfort to others while navigating her own heartbreak is a profound testament to her character. Emma’s resilience is not simply the ability to continue moving forward; it is the way she continues moving forward—with grace, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to being the kind of nurse who makes a difference in people’s lives. Emma embodies the spirit of the DAISY Award. She is compassionate, skilled, deeply human, and remarkably strong. Her courage and resilience, paired with her natural ability to connect with patients and families, make her an extraordinary nursing student and a future nurse who will uplift every patient she meets.