The DAISY Award® is awarded to nurses who show dedication, passion and extraordinary care to patients and others in the health care industry. The DAISY Foundation was started by the family of Patrick Barnes in 1999 after he died from an autoimmune disease. DAISY stands for Diseases Affecting the Immune System.

At UF Health, 12 nurses are recognized each year with this award. Nurses can be nominated by anyone, including colleagues, patients or patient family members.

In December, two pediatric nurses were nominated by their colleague Joanne Tanner, A.S.N., R.N., C-EFM, UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital Labor and Delivery clinical leader. Tanner recognized two registered nurses from the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital Medical/Surgical Unit 44. Alexandra Pierovich, B.S.N., R.N., and Michelle Scott, B.S.N., R.N., RN-BC, were leaving their 12-hour night shift when they came upon a woman who was in labor outside the entrance to the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. The woman did not speak English, but the nurses knew she needed medical attention fast.

They were able to bring her to the Labor and Delivery Unit just in time. When the two nurses were leaving again, they came into contact with the patient’s husband and children, who were lost and confused.

The teammates brought them to the unit and reunited them with the mother and new baby.

Pierovich received the DAISY Award® for going above and beyond in taking extra time to care for a patient and family in need. Their compassion and drive to help others is celebrated and appreciated by their colleagues!