Ide Yotsuuye-Woo, RN, is a deserving recipient of the DAISY Award. She exemplifies the kind of nurse that the patients and families, as well as the nurses, physicians and other members of the interdisciplinary team, recognize as an outstanding role model who provides compassionate care every day.

Ide is an outstanding NICU RN who brings great knowledge and experience to her nursing practice. Her calm demeanor and ability to inform families of the most pertinent facts about their baby’s current status helps them focus on what’s most important, to not feel overwhelmed and feel confident in the care their baby is receiving. She is always helpful to her peers and uncomplaining about assignments. She is a kind and thorough teacher for new staff, always willing to share information, approachable and willing to help. She is an unflinching patient advocated, willing to argue for changes she feels are in the best interest of babies and their families. Ide also shows her caring by spending considerable time and effort making specialty sewn items to increase the baby’s comfort and decorate their little worlds. She has made laundry bags for families to keep their baby’s own clothes separate from the unit clothes. She has made customized sleep sacks for our preemie babies that are not only functional but also adorable. She’s brought in huge amounts of baby bedding and recently designed a cushioned mattresses with attached covers to help increase the baby’s comfort, make care easy and look so cute that the families feel their babies are getting special attention.

Ide is unfailingly positive on the unit. As part of the more senior night shift staff, she helps to set the tone on nights. She brings humor to most situations which always helps morale. As part of the Scheduling team and the key member of the Holiday schedule team, Ide is a fair, skilled and compassionate leader. She is an integral part of the NICU team and we can’t imagine doing this unit without her.