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NEMHS Announces 2024 DAISY Award® Honoree

NEMHS Announces 2024 DAISY Award® Honoree

Earlier this year, Northeast Montana Health Services partnered with the DAISY Foundation to honor and recognize the extraordinary contributions our nurses make in their patients’ lives. Six nurses were nominated by patients, visitors or co-workers for this annual award: Shania Chavez, RN, Halie Holen, RN, Kathleen MacDonald, RN, Arlee Fox, RN, Scott Kinzie, RN and Lauren Murnion, RN.  

The nominations are blinded and sent to an internal committee to be scored using criteria that focuses on compassionate care and fits the mission, vision and values of NEMHS.  Although each of the nominated nurses is very deserving of the prestigious award, one nomination received the highest score. 

We are proud to announce Halie Holen, RN is our first DAISY Award® Honoree. Halie has been a nurse at NEMHS for ten years, and she is the supervisor of the Obstetrics Department at Trinity Hospital. She was honored at a celebration attended by her nominator, Mecaila Paulson, other nominees and co-workers in early November. At the event, Mecaila read her story about Halie’s extraordinary, compassionate care during the birth of her first child.      

According to Elaine Long, Director of Nursing, “Halie is that spark that makes you want to be better and do better. She is the one that will say, ‘You can do this!’ Her positive work ethic helps rekindle everyone’s spirit to keep going each day.” 

The DAISY Award® is the first program of its kind, giving patients, co-workers and families a way to express gratitude to nurses for their compassionate care to patients and their families. The DAISY award® has become a strategic tool for nurse recruitment, retention and resilience that has been adopted by thousands of healthcare organizations and nursing schools worldwide. Being a DAISY Honoree is a life-long designation that brings many benefits including reduced rates for continuing education, certifications and wellness programs. 

Anyone can nominate a nurse for the award. At NEMHS, nomination boxes are located at Trinity and Poplar Hospitals, Listerud and Riverside Clinics and Faith Lutheran Home. Nominations can also be submitted on our website here

Photo: 2024 DAISY Award Nominees