DAISY Awards Fall 2023

The Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is proud to honor its outstanding nurses with the DAISY Award—an international recognition program that celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide to patients and families every day. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at 33 of an autoimmune disease. The Barnes family was awestruck by the clinical skills and compassion of the nurses who cared for Patrick, so they created this award to say thank you to nurses everywhere. 

Recent DAISY Award winners at JHH:

December 2022 | Emily Burns

Emily Burns of the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) was nominated by the mother of a patient who wrote about Burns’s care for her daughter from her first day in the NICU and throughout what ended up being an extended stay on the unit: “Emily became a huge part of our family. She has a huge heart. She has always been by our sides throughout everything.”

January 2023 | Amber Nobles

Amber Nobles, an RN II on the Child Adolescent Psychiatry unit. was nominated by her nurse manager for the extraordinary care and comfort she provided to a patient outside of work hours. Knowing this patient and her circumstances, Amber was able to make her feel safe, calm and cared for.

February 2023 | Madison Goundry

Madison (Maddie) Goundry, a nurse on the Weinberg Intensive Care Unit, was nominated by a colleague for her incredible efforts to see that a hospitalized patient was able to participate in a granddaughter’s wedding. Looking after every detail—including giving him a fresh haircut and shave and crafting a special boutonniere—Goundry threw a bedside wedding that the patient and his family would never forget.

March 2023 | Casey Hershey

Casey Hershey, a nurse on Nelson 6, was nominated by the brother of a patient, who wrote about how Hersey treated his sister with compassion and dignity, and forged a deep, trusting relationship. “What sets Casey apart is not just her skill as a nurse, but her ability to connect with her patients on a personal level. She shared her heart with [my sister], making the hospital feel less intimidating and scary for her.”

April 2023 | Iyo Genda

Iyo Genda of Meyer 3 was nominated by one of his patients who had been incredibly anxious nearing discharge and wrote of the incredible care, reassurance, and comfort Genda provided. Even as the patient was leaving, Genda was there to help when transportation issues arose, providing help and a calming presence for the patient: “I have never felt so cared, safe, or heard before.”

May 2023 | Alice Pons

Alice Pons, a senior research nurse for the Kimmel Cancer Center, works with patients in clinical trials to ensure that they are supported and able to follow the complex plan to study experimental treatments. Pons was nominated by the loved ones of a patient under her care for four and a half years. In the letter, they wrote about the many, many extraordinary ways Pons cared for their loved one—gestures both big and small—that made the patient feel heard, safe, and loved.

June 2023 | Jen Tobon

A lead clinical nurse from Bloomberg 9 North, Jen Tobon

Jen Tobon, a lead clinical nurse from Bloomberg 9 North, was nominated by the mother of a long-term patient stuck in the hospital for his birthday. Tobon had gone above and beyond to make it extra special. “When we arrived that morning, his doorway was decorated with balloons and a poster that all of the nurses signed with their well wishes. She coordinated with the fourth floor to have a party for him in the conference room and even drew his favorite Bluey characters on the whiteboard.”