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UP Health System – Marquette Cardiac Nurse Madison Mechling, RN, Honored with DAISY Award

August 01, 2023

UP Health System – Marquette is proud to honor Madison Mechling, RN, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The award is given out every quarter and is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day.

Madison cares for patients in the Cardiac Unit at UP Health System – Marquette. Cardiac care nurses treat and care for patients with a variety of heart diseases or conditions. This can include patients suffering from coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure, or those recovering from angioplasty or bypass surgery. She has made a positive impact on all of her patients, but there was one in particular who she truly touched. Below is the patient's nomination:

"I was admitted into the cardiac unit where a nurse named Madison was assigned to me. I am not the easiest person to deal with when I am having a borderline personality episode. I was admitted for a heart attack and was having a hard time communicating with my doctor about the cath lab results. After the doctor left, I was very confused. Nurse Madison saw my frustrations and took it upon herself to make multiple phone calls to the right people to get me the information I needed to relieve my stress. This was just one occasion where Madison went above and beyond her role to keep me calm before my procedure. There isn't enough room on this form to list it all. As I mentioned, I have borderline personality, which made it hard to connect with some of the other nurses. She had a way of putting me at ease and made my stay more bearable. I got to know a little about Madison and she knew at an early age she was to become a nurse, even taking courses in high school to prepare for college. Nursing, for Madison, is her calling. Yesterday, her supervisor came to the floor, and I communicated several more examples of how this young woman deserves an award."

*Madison signing the DAISY Award banner for UP Health System – Marquette that is displayed in each winner's department.*

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

Kayleigh Balinski, RN, Medical-Surgical-Oncology Unit
Pam Majewski, Care Aid/Unit Clerk, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
Bethany Schultz, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
Marayha Ducote, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
Kat Nagelkirk, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
Cherie Radabaugh, Patient Navigator, Radiation Oncology
Lindsey Heino, RN, Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
June Wickstrom, RN, Care Management/ICU
Jessica Jarve, RN, Neonatal ICU
Shannon Pace-Lacar, RN, Neonatal ICU
Jennifer Heyrman, RN, ICU
Jason Doney, RN, ICU
Jennifer Henry, RN, Family Birthing Center
Carrie Wheeler, RN, Staffing Pool
Brianne Maggio, RN, Family Birthing Center
Linda Boyak, RN, Rehabilitation Unit
Kelly Lunseth, RN, ICU
Danielle Hollenbeck, RN, ICU
Richard Sansom, RN, ICU

*Madison with her fellow colleagues in the UP Health System – Marquette Cardiac Unit.*

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, which 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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