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Hershey names Paradise, Shue June and July Daisy Award winners

Hershey Medical Center presented DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Awards to two Heart and Vascular Institute Critical Care Unit nurses, Jessica Paradise and Rebekah Shue.

The accolade recognizes nurses for their skillful, compassionate care and their daily support of patients and families.

Paradise was selected as the June DAISY Award winner. She was nominated by a colleague who praised her efforts to advocate for a terminally ill patient.

“If one were to mix the spirit of Florence Nightingale with the spirit of William the Conqueror, then one would get Jessica Norton-Paradise,” wrote one colleague. “She advocates with great vigor for her patients and their families.”

Shue was selected as the July DAISY Award winner. She was nominated by a colleague who recognized that her empathy and care for her peers and patients were making a difference on the unit.

The colleague noted Shue’s “superior therapeutic communication skills” helped the distressed family of a patient on ECMO and helped them deal in a healthy way with the loss of their loved one.

Four women are shown. Two are receiving an award in the form of a document. They are all nurses.

From left, Jessica Paradise receives her award from Judy Himes, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Hershey Medical Center. Rebekah Shue accepts her award from Karen Ostwald, assistant nurse manager of the Heart and Vascular Institute Critical Care Unit.

DAISY Award Mission

The Daisy Award was created in memory of Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. The DAISY Foundation was established by his family to keep his spirit alive. Its primary mission is to express gratitude to nurses for the work they do for patients and their families every day. 

Who Can Nominate

Winners are nominated by staff members, patients and their families and selected by Hershey Medical Center’s Patient- and Family-Centered Care Advisory Council. See the award application and past winners on the Nursing Infonet site. Contact Kris Reynolds at 717-531-7025 with any questions.

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