Three CHI Memorial Nurses Receive DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses

Three nurses at CHI Memorial recently received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

Donald Johnson, RN, was nominated by a patient’s family for the compassion he showed after their daughter’s passing  “We met with Donald who brought us to a room where we were comforted by some of the emergency department staff and allowed to grieve over our daughter. Her hair was lovingly combed and her face cleaned. We learned later from Donald that the nurses had prepared our daughter specifically for our last visit with her. Although this event was incredibly sad, we were blessed and comforted by the loving, beautiful efforts of Donald and the nurses. This caring, heartfelt, beautiful treatment is beyond words found on any job description or in any employee manual. The loving human kindness was selfless, inherent, and genuine… Thank you Donald…you will never know what an impact you have made! We will never forget you.” Johnson works as a house administrator at CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga and has been with CHI Memorial since December 2019.

Janet Culpepper, BSN, RN, CVRN-BC, received the 2022 Lifetime Achievement DAISY Award.  She was nominated by a coworker.  “Jan has dedicated her entire career, spanning more than 36 years across multiple nursing disciplines, to CHI Memorial.  She initially started as a nurse in the oncology unit prior to her move to the short stay unit.  She is an excellent and compassionate nurse who is beloved and well-respected by both her colleagues and her patients. The great breadth of experience and skills she has accumulated over the years make her a great resource for other nurses, and a fantastic mentor when she is assigned the duty of precepting newly hired nurses. She has a calm demeanor and a positive attitude. Jan demonstrates exemplary knowledge and skills necessary to care for her patients. I love working with Jan.  She never hesitates to lend a helping hand to her fellow nurses and other co-workers, and she embodies the best of the best team players in the short stay unit. I believe this makes her an invaluable asset to the Short Stay Unit and to CHI Memorial.” Culpepper works in the cardiac short stay unit (CSSU) at CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga.  She has worked at CHI Memorial for nearly 37 years.

Kimberly Shank, BSN, RN, OCN, received the 2022 Leader DAISY Award.  “Kim consistently displays exemplary behavior by adopting a "can do" attitude and demonstrating a desire to help other departments and colleagues when and how she can, despite what she may have going on.  Kim carries her passion and compassion forward to her team and never stops educating others about her team and what they can offer cancer patients and survivors.  Kim understands that a cancer diagnosis doesn't just affect the patient, but is a family diagnosis and seeks to care for the entire family unit during the cancer journey and beyond.  Her advocacy and innovation create a way to provide services, increase access to quality care, and connect on an individual level to family members of our community.  Kim values her team and promotes opportunities for nursing staff to seek further development through education, mentorship, and well-being.  She is a strong advocate for her people, their work, and making things better for the team so that they can better minister to our most vulnerable of patients, survivors, and their families.”  Shank is the director of cancer support services at the Rees Skillern Cancer Center.  She has worked at CHI Memorial for more than 17 years.

CHI Memorial is pleased to partner with the DAISY Foundation to recognize the extraordinary difference nurses make in the lives of patients and co-workers. Nurses are chosen each month to receive this wonderful award that honors compassionate care.  

Honorees receive a bouquet of daisies, a certificate, a copy of her/his nomination letter, and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch - hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.  The honoree's nursing unit also receives a cinnamon doughnut party, because it takes a team for a nurse to achieve his/her best.  Tasty Doughnuts generously donates the treats for this worthy cause.

To learn more about the DAISY Foundation, visit DAISYfoundation.org.