Jamestown Regional Medical Center (JRMC) presented Tara Simonsen with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The DAISY Award is an internationally recognized program honoring nurses for their compassion and clinical excellence — values that align with JRMC’s commitment to excellence in patient care.
Simonsen, a registered nurse in JRMC’s Family BirthPlace, was selected for her empathy and the lasting impact she made on a patient and her family.
She was nominated by patient Bethany Anderson, who shared how Simonsen’s support helped ease her fears during labor and postpartum recovery.
“Tara checked in on us constantly and talked to us like we were people and not a job or a task that needed to be handled,” Anderson wrote in her nomination.
Anderson said Simonsen’s kindness extended beyond discharge. From arranging for the family to leave through a heated ambulance bay to avoid harsh winter weather to personally assisting them and ensuring the baby’s car seat was secured, Simonsen demonstrated genuine compassion and attention to detail.
“After checking to make sure all was okay with his car seat base, she told me she was so happy to be a part of my care and gave me a big hug and said we were going to be amazing parents,” Anderson shared. “She took time to ask how I was doing — not as a patient, but as a new mother.”
In recognition of her impact, Simonsen was honored for exemplifying the values of compassion, respect and patient-centered service that defines JRMC’s mission. Her ability to connect with patients on a personal level while delivering high-quality care highlights the profound difference a dedicated nurse can make during one of life’s most significant moments.
“…in one of the scariest, most vulnerable moments of my life she was everything I needed,” Anderson wrote. “More than a nurse — a friend.”