Evangelical Community Hospital Awards DAISY Honor for Nursing Excellence to Serena Feese, RN, BSN

Serena Feese, RN, BSN, was recently presented the DAISY Award at Evangelical Community Hospital. 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.

A first in the Hospital’s DAISY experience, Feese was nominated for the award by four separate members of the same family who witnessed the care she provided to their mother and wife, Jeanette Reich, during her three and a half-week stay at the Hospital.

Feese was presented the award surrounded by her fellow coworkers, Hospital and Nursing leadership, her family, and the family who nominated her for the award.

In one nomination, daughter, Debra Nace-Metzger shared, “Serena was the most caring and compassionate nurse my mother had in her three and half week stay…you could tell that nursing was way more than just ‘a job’ for her.”

Nace-Metzger continued, “My mother loved Serena and her face would light up when she entered the room. She was such a comfort and help to my dad who sat at my mother’s bedside. She talked to them and helped both of them. She made my mother’s last days better just by being there and going above and beyond for her and for us.”

Ronnie Reich, spouse, “She cared for my wife with love and compassion. As she lay dying, this nurse crocheted her a large afghan and made her a cross. She held that cross in her hand up until her death.”

Feese began her career at Evangelical as a nursing assistant on the Acute Care Unit in November 2021.

She participated in the student nurse internship program of the Hospital in May and June of 2022. Shortly after receiving her RN license, Feese moved up to her current role of RN on the Acute Care Unit in July 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.