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UP Health System – Marquette Outpatient Behavioral Health Nurse Amy Besola, LPN, Honored with DAISY Award

June 29, 2023

UP Health System – Marquette is proud to honor Amy Besola, LPN, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The award is given out on a quarterly basis and is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day.

Amy cares for patients in the UP Health System – Marquette Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic—a place she has come to know and love over the last 35 years of her employment there. "I wake up every morning and feel grateful for my career. It's so much more than a job to me—I truly love it and look forward to seeing my patients every day," said Amy. This did not go unnoticed by one of Amy's patients, who nominated her for the award. Below is the patient's nomination:

"I recently became one of the first people to undergo a new medication for treatment-resistant depression—an illness that has affected me my whole life. This new medication can have serious side effects since it is a branch of ketamine. I sit in a room while the medication is administered, and it is Amy's job to make sure I am okay. Each treatment session lasts at least two hours, and each dosage can bring on a multitude of symptoms. I see her once a week and knowing she is my nurse automatically comforts me because I feel her compassion. Amy can often tell just by looking at me how I am feeling, and she takes the time out of her busy schedule to talk to me about it. She asks me questions about my care and provides follow up with my doctor. She takes care of little things I might need and is always willing to help—I do not use the word "always" very often, but I can easily use it for this nomination. If I have a question about the medication, she will research it and let me know the answer and has called about my medication numerous times to save me the hassle of having to do it. When I am there for my treatment, I am often scared because I don't know what side effects I may have, but I feel like Amy is my "safety net." I trust her—I want her to know that she is appreciated and valued. I am often ashamed to admit that I have treatment-resistant depression, but Amy has helped me to see that this is something I do not need to be ashamed of. She has a high level of compassion and I have a high level of respect for the treatment and care she has provided to me."

*Amy Besola signing her name to the UP Health System – Marquette DAISY banner. The banner is displayed in the unit of the winning nurse.*

UP Health System – Marquette would like to also recognize the entire team of nurses who were nominated for the DAISY award this quarter:

Amy Racine, RN, Imaging
Viviane Castro, RN, Medical-Surgical-Oncology Unit
Danielle Haanpaa, RN, Cancer Center
Sydney Klavon, RN, Cardiac Unit
Joann Edwards, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
Bethany Schultz, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
Kat Nagelkirk, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
Sydney Fletcher, RN, Staffing Pool
Robert Abbott, RN, Cardiac Unit
Lisa Bonn, RN, Radiation/Oncology
Megan Holm, RN, Outpatient Rehabilitation
Amy Neaves, RN, Specialty Clinic
Morgan Kowalski, RN, Medical-Surgical-Oncology Unit
Kali Lee, RN, Medical-Surgical-Oncology Unit
Kylee Jannausch, LPN, Medical-Surgical-Oncology Unit
Kayleigh Balinski, RN, Medical-Surgical-Oncology Unit

Julie Nordberg, MSN, RN, director of inpatient nursing, Meg Mamer, MSN, RN, assistant chief nursing offer, Amy Besola, senior clinic LPN, Lisa Taylor, outpatient behavioral health clinic manager, Janice Marchant, administrative nursing assistant, and Marlin Kilpatrick, spiritual and volunteer services coordinator, holding the DAISY banner.

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. Nominations are reviewed by a committee at UP Health System – Marquette, that then selects the winner. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the honoree’s colleagues, patients, friends, and family. Each honoree receives a certificate commending them that reads, “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, chief executive officer and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation said, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at UP Health System – Marquette are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of the DAISY Award.”

"One of our top priorities is making sure our nurses know how valued and appreciated they are for the incredible, lifesaving care they provide every day," stated Christine Stryker, MBA, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer, UP Health System-Marquette. "The DAISY Award is one way we do that, and we are proud to participate in the program, as we are proud of all our nursing staff."

In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of direct care nurses, nurse-led teams, nurse leaders, nursing faculty, and nursing students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and nurses participating in medical missions.

To nominate an extraordinary nurse for the DAISY Award, visit our website. For more information on the DAISY Award, please visit the DAISY Foundation website.

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