Evangelical Community Hospital Awards DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award to Tamara Persing

Evangelical Community Hospital recently presented Tamara Persing, RN, BSN, MS, CIC, FAPIC, Vice President of Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer, the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.

The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award was created to recognize those nurses who have devoted their life's work to the compassionate care of others. Recipients of this award are nominated for their dedication to nursing through active mentoring, role modeling, advocating for their patients and promoting the positive image of nursing. They serve as a beacon of inspiration to those at all stages of their career and in the various and important roles of nursing.

Persing was nominated for the award by Loretta Aurand, a retired Evangelical Community Nurse who continues to serve in a Nurse Emeritus role mentoring up-and-coming nurses. Aurand’s nomination shared how she was inspired by Persing’s compassionate guidance of nursing staff and her steadfast commitment to continued education, advancement of skills, and patient safety. Aurand spoke of Persing’s outstanding, personal leadership style for her teams and the value that brought to nurses working together for the best care of patients.

The honor was presented at a reception marking Persing’s retirement that officially takes place in July.
Persing has a long history of connection with Evangelical Community Hospital. She began her career in 1982 as a Registered Nurse at Holy Spirit Hospital, Camp Hill, and spent more than two decades at Evangelical as a Registered Nurse, Pre-Admission Care Coordinator, and Infection Control Practitioner. Leaving Evangelical to serve as Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Geisinger Health System, Danville, she found herself returning in March 2017 to fill the Vice President of Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer role.

In 2020, Persing served as a vital resource on infection prevention and control as the Hospital worked through the various details of managing the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, she served as a strong leader for the entire nursing division as they conquered the challenges of the pandemic, high patient volumes, and unprecedented loss.

Under Persing’s guidance and direction, the Hospital became part of the DAISY Foundation program where nurses could be recognized not only at the Hospital, but nationally as examples of excellence in patient care. Under her leadership, programs to elevate nursing professional practice through the development of nurse residency and emeritus nurse programs, changes to the nursing clinical ladder, and standardization of the nursing care experience bundle (bedside shift report, whiteboard communication, and rounding) to improve patient satisfaction scores. Persing also led the way in seamlessly integrating agency and international nurses into the Hospital.

Persing was presented with a stone sculpture entitled, A Healer’s Touch, handcrafted by a tribe in Zimbabwe, a lifetime DAISY pin, and an honor plaque to be placed at the Healer’s Touch statue in the Hospital’s Meditation Garden donated by the Persings honoring the nursing staff at Evangelical Community Hospital.

To learn more about the DAISY Award program for nurses at Evangelical Community Hospital and its primary and specialty care practices, visit www.EvanHospital.com/EmployeeRecognition.