UP Health System – Marquette is proud to honor Ramses Mota, 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. 

Ramses cares for patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at UP Health System – Marquette. Nurses and providers in this unit care for a wide variety of critically ill patients whose conditions are often life-threatening, such as someone who was seriously injured or has undergone major surgery. Ramses received not one, but three nominations this quarter from a patient, a family member and a fellow nurse. Below are those nominations:

"Ramses provided excellent, compassionate care during a very stressful and scary situation. I was seven hours from home and required open heart surgery. Ramses took great care of me and made me feel safe and comfortable during my stay in the ICU. I will never forget him." —Patient

"My brother had major neck surgery. Ramses was on top of every critical moment. He demonstrated expertise, dedication, commitment, and kindness. He is a rock star. Actually, he was far better than a rock star—he exemplifies the best of nursing." —Family member

"I am writing a letter on behalf of my experience as a new nurse being precepted by Ramses and how that shaped me into a confident and competent RN. When I started, I was very much still a paramedic rather than an RN. Ramses was able to teach and instill in me patience that I did not have. My instinct was to see a problem and fix the problem, which is not always practical or possible in the ICU. I learned to take pauses and let medication titrations work, recheck equipment, and be systematic on assessments. Ramses’ intuition is palpable, allowing me to learn by watching him and by direct instruction. His way of teaching is very compatible with my learning needs. I never felt abandoned or on my own, I always knew he was there when I needed him. On that same note, I never felt he was micromanaging me or preventing me from learning by only allowing me to observe him. I felt that he trusted me to know when I needed him, and I knew he was pushing my comfort level with sick patients by forcing me to make decisions that I was hesitant to make and never spoon-feeding me answers. All of that grew my confidence. Ramses’ calm and collected demeanor is something I still try to emulate. He showed me through his actions how I should conduct myself with patients, families, and other staff as a professional. I am grateful to have had Ramses as a preceptor and that I continue to have him as a mentor. He still pushes me to further my knowledge and skill set. Without his influence at the beginning of my nursing career, I do not think I would be at the confidence or skill level I believe I am now." —Andrew, RN-CFRN

UP Health System – Marquette would like to also recognize our other nurses who were nominated for the DAISY Award this quarter:

• Haley Roberts, RN, Inpatient Rehabilitation
• Shalyn Hill, RN, Family Birthing Center
• Charles Witherell, RN, Emergency Room
• Schuyler Diess, RN, Med-Surg Unit
• Elizabeth Markot, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
• Brian Stasevich, RN, Neuro-Ortho-Peds Unit
• Christina Hanson, RN, Cardiac Unit
• Christina Ginter, RN, Cardiac Unit
• James Van Eck, RN, Inpatient Behavioral Health
• Andria Corcoran, RN, Family Birthing Center

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.

Patients, families, and colleagues may nominate nurses. 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 their super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work. 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 and chief operating 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.