Michelle Peterson, APNP, won the 2023 DAISY Award, making her the first winner from Gundersen’s Fennimore Clinic.
The DAISY Award honors exceptional nurses, including nurse practitioners like Michelle, for their compassionate care. It is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize these extraordinary healthcare professionals. Michelle was nominated after helping a pre-teen patient and their family navigate anxiety.
“Despite our best efforts to handle things on our own, as parents we felt ill-equipped. [Michelle] provided us with guidance, perspective, age-based tools and resources and connected us with a Gundersen behavioral health provider. Her proactive approach not only helped support our child through a few rocky months of pre-middle school jitters, but we know she’s also helping many other families just like ours who just want their kids to thrive and be happy despite big changes and invisible pressures that kids face today.”
- Patient's parent in Michelle's nomination
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at 33 in 1999 from ITP, Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, which is an autoimmune disease. DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
Patrick and his family were grateful for the care they received from nurses when he was sick. This inspired a special way to thank nurses for their important role in helping patients and their families.
“Like our previous Daisy Award recipients, Michelle exemplifies Gundersen Boscobel’s commitment to ensuring all patients have an exceptional experience every time they walk through our doors,” said Renae Creasey, nurse manager at Gundersen Boscobel’s Primary Care clinics. “This year is Gundersen Boscobel’s first winner from the primary care setting and Michelle couldn’t be more deserving of this honor.”
Gundersen Boscobel unveils the award annually during Nurses Week. The honoree's colleagues, patients and family attend the celebration.
Michelle received a certificate, pin and a sculpture at the award ceremony on May 8. The certificate praised her great influence, while the pin was a special DAISY Award pin. The sculpture, called "A Healer's Touch," was made by artists from the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.
“Parenting is tough work,” Michelle’s nominator said. “This experience reminded us that as parents, it’s okay to reach out for help, and when you do, it’s comforting to have providers who bring their human side to each interaction.”
If you’ve been touched by a deserving Gundersen Boscobel nurse, you can nominate them online.