The nursing department presented DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing Students to senior Bryce Kallenbach and junior Cameron Saville.
Students, faculty, and clinical partners from the F-M area were invited to submit nominations of deserving students for Concordia’s inaugural award. Award recipients were chosen by a committee that reviewed the nominations anonymously.
“We tailored our award criteria to not only be for students that are doing well in the patient care setting but added a call for nominations of students that are demonstrating what an extraordinary student nurse should embody: motivated, caring, dedicated, and passionate about being a student nurse,” said Amanda Tracy, assistant professor of nursing and DAISY coordinator.
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses honors the work nurses do for patients and families every day. It was created by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at 33 from idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) after having survived Hodgkin’s disease twice. The family created it to fill the hole in their hearts after Patrick’s death, but also wanted to ensure that nurses know how deserving they are of society’s profound respect.
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students was created to recognize and celebrate nursing students for the over-and-above care and compassion shown to patients and their families.
Nominated twice, an instructor noted Kallenbach’s outstanding compassion and the dignity he has for his patients witnessed both in the lab and the clinical setting when Kallenbach cared for the instructor’s friend in the ICU. A peer stated that he showed great compassion in his care for a patient and made the patient feel comfortable during assessments and procedures.
“I am honored to have received this award alongside fellow peers,” Kallenbach said. “The DAISY Awards represent nurses who provide above-and-beyond care to patients and I am proud to be a part of that group. I would like to thank my classmates, faculty, and my family for helping support me to be the nurse that I want to be.”
Saville also received two nominations from nursing faculty for his performance in the classroom and clinical setting. The first spoke about the many qualities that Saville demonstrated as a leader with a genuine desire to serve and to foster the growth and well-being of others – all the attributes of a professional nurse. The second said Saville demonstrated compassionate and genuine patient care and that he continually displays positivity, readiness and preparedness, and is a great role model for nursing students.
“Receiving the award was such an honor and a blessing,” Saville said. “It was definitely a surprise to me, but I really attribute the award to the nursing faculty. They always set a great example for me and help me to look at different perspectives regarding patient care or ways I can improve in the classroom.”
“I want to be able to leave a lasting impression on patients that help them on their road to recovery,” Saville said.
Additional seniors nominated for the DAISY Award were Corrie Ethen, Brooke Pella, Zachary Ellingson, Ellie Opdahl, Abigayle Lieser, Erin Freeland, Meghan Schneider, Amy Warren, and Jayda Haugen. Macy Denzer and Morgyn Haugen were also nominated for the junior award.
“Both Bryce and Cameron are very deserving of this award and are great role models for their peers,” Tracy said.” We are proud to have them as Cobber nurses.”