UP Health System – Marquette Honors Colleen Granato, RN, with the DAISY Award

Colleen Granato, RN, is pictured with leadership during the DAISY Award presentation
at UP Health System – Marquette. From left to right: Teresa Perry, Chief Financial Officer; Meg McConnell, Chief Nursing Officer; Julie Nordberg, Executive Director of Nursing; Bell; Colleen Granato, RN; Tonya Darner, market chief executive officer of UP Health System – Marquette and UP Health System; Lisa Long, MD, Chief Medical Officer; Polly Hockberger, Vice President of Operations; and Jason Collins, Vice President of Operations.

UP Health System – Marquette is proud to recognize Colleen Granato, RN, Operating Room/PACU, as this quarter's recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The DAISY Award is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to honor the exceptional, compassionate care nurses provide to patients and families every day.

Granato was recognized for the compassion, warmth and genuine connection she provided to a young patient and his mother during an especially emotional and stressful experience. Her ability to connect with a child, reassure his mother and bring calm to an otherwise frightening day demonstrated the profound impact a caring nurse can have on an entire family.

The nomination came from a mother whose 7-year-old son was preparing to undergo surgery. Like any parent facing surgery for their child, she described feeling nervous, scared and overwhelmed.

"When your 7.5-year-old is going in for surgery, this mama's heart was nervous, scared and a mess," the patient's mother wrote.

Amid the uncertainty and fear of the moment, Granato took the time to connect with the young patient, Westley, helping him feel more comfortable while also providing reassurance to his mother.

As the mother became emotional, Granato didn't simply focus on the clinical aspects of the upcoming procedure. She took time to talk with both of them, helping them remain calm and reminding them of their own strength.

"I was crying, and she took the time to talk to my son, and I to keep us both calm and talked about strength," the nomination read.

Granato also found a personal way to connect with the family, sharing stories about being a mother and her own children. That simple connection helped create a sense of familiarity and comfort during a moment that could have felt overwhelming for both the child and his mother.

"She shared stories of being a mom and her kids to connect and help us both," the mother wrote.

For Westley, Granato's kindness and ability to make him feel comfortable left an impression that went far beyond the moments leading up to surgery.

"My son said, 'Definitely Colleen, Mommy!'" the nomination read.

Granato's care was a reminder that extraordinary nursing is not always about a clinical intervention. Sometimes, it is about recognizing when a family needs reassurance, taking a few extra moments to listen and finding a way to make a frightening experience feel a little less scary.

"True heart of gold that was much appreciated!" the mother wrote.

Through her compassion, emotional support and ability to connect with both patients and families, Granato demonstrated the empathy and dedication that define extraordinary nursing care.

"Colleen's ability to recognize the emotional needs of both a young patient and his mother and take the time to provide comfort and reassurance exemplifies the heart of extraordinary nursing," said Meg McConnell, DNP, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer at UP Health System – Marquette. "Her compassion and genuine connection helped bring calm to a family during a very stressful moment. We are honored to recognize Colleen with the DAISY Award."

Colleen and the team from Operating Room/PACU.

UP Health System – Marquette also extends recognition to all the extraordinary nurses and caregivers nominated for the DAISY Award this quarter.

Cassidy Orr, Family Birthing Center; Katherine Johnson, traveler, Medical/Surgical, 6th Floor; Natalie Bordson, Emergency Department; Kelly MacArthur, Emergency Department; Frank "Chuck" Plemel, Behavioral Health, 4th Floor; Renee Koski, Neuro/Ortho/Peds, 7th Floor; Hanna Derby, Intensive Care Unit; Kelly Kurin, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Valerie Choin, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Erica Lawson, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Kayla Sather, Medical/Surgical, 6th Floor; Katy Campbell and Jamie Christensen, Medical/Surgical, 6th Floor; Abdul Isaac, traveler, Behavioral Health, 4th Floor; Hannah Soumis, Medical/Surgical, 6th Floor; Gina Brock, Medical/Surgical, 6th Floor; Cathy Andriola, traveler, Rehab Unit; Sam Pagliarini, Neuro/Ortho/Peds, 7th Floor; and Amy Paiva, traveler, Neuro/Ortho/Peds, 7th Floor.

The DAISY Foundation was created in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses during his illness inspired the foundation and its global effort to honor and thank nurses for their skill and compassion. (DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.)

Patients, families and colleagues may nominate nurses for the DAISY Award. Nominations are reviewed by a committee at UP Health System – Marquette, and honorees are celebrated during a formal presentation attended by peers, leadership and family. Each DAISY Award recipient receives a certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a hand-carved sculpture titled A Healer's Touch, created by artists of the Shona tribe in Zimbabwe.

To nominate a nurse for the DAISY Award, visit our website. To learn more about the DAISY Foundation, visit The DAISY Foundation.