Evangelical Community Hospital Awards DAISY Honor for Nursing Excellence to Andrea Strony, RN, BSN

Andrea Strony, RN, BSN, was recently presented the DAISY Award. The award is presented to a deserving nurse who exemplifies clinical expertise and compassionate care and is recognized as a role model in the nursing community.

Strony was nominated for the award by patient, Kolbie Straub. Strony was presented the award surrounded by her fellow coworkers, Hospital and Nursing leadership, as well as her family.
In the nomination, Straub shared, “I feel we are all in our professions for a reason, and she was truly made to be an RN.”

Straub was experiencing issues with her gallbladder that brought her to the Emergency Department. “Andrea and a fellow colleague had come in the room to introduce themselves. She noticed I was a current employee and had asked the typical questions, meaning what department, etc. She didn’t realize it, but that really took my mind off of the ‘what ifs’ that I kept asking myself.”

Straub was discharged from the Emergency Department that afternoon but was back in the next evening with Strony. “She gave me the biggest hug to reassure me everything was going to be okay and she was glad that I came back with any worsening symptoms. I was admitted and had emergency surgery the next day. The day of my surgery, she came to visit, to be sure I had everything I needed, and to see how I was feeling. She continued to check on me until I returned to work. Her drive, compassion, generosity, and so much more meant so incredibly much to me.”

Strony has been an Evangelical employee serving as an RN in the Emergency Department since April 2023.

The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in California by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 from complications of an auto-immune disease. During his eight-week hospital stay, his family was impressed by the care and compassion his nurses provided, not only to him but to everyone in the family. They created the DAISY Award in his memory to recognize those nurses who make a big difference in the lives of so many people.

Evangelical is proud to be a DAISY Award partner. Nurses are nominated by patients, family members of patients, as well as other healthcare professionals. Nominations are presented for consideration through a process of anonymity. The winner is then selected by a board of healthcare workers. Each DAISY Award Honoree is given a DAISY Award pin, a certificate of honor, a gift card from Service First Federal Credit Union, and a stone sculpture entitled, A Healer’s Touch, handcrafted by a tribe in Zimbabwe.

Nominations for the DAISY award can be made by patients, patient family members, colleagues, and providers. If an Evangelical Community Hospital nurse has displayed extraordinary clinical expertise and compassion, visit www.DAISYnomination.org/ECH and fill out a nomination form.