August 2026 Honoree
Amanda Watson, RN
When I first arrived in the holding area, Amanda immediately came over, greeted me, hugged me, and let me cry into her shoulder. She offered her condolences, but what meant so much was that she recognized that hearing “I’m sorry” doesn’t make an incredibly painful situation any easier. She didn’t try to rush me through my emotions or make me feel like I needed to hold myself together. She simply met me where I was and allowed me to feel what I needed to feel.
From that moment on, Amanda cared for me not only as a patient, but as a hurting person. She made sure I was as physically comfortable and as well cared for as possible. She brought me warm blankets and offered different comfort measures, always paying attention to what I needed. Every little thing mattered because, in that moment, I needed someone to care for me when I didn’t have much capacity to care for myself.
When I woke up, Amanda was the warm smile I saw and the soft voice I heard saying my name and gently helping me wake up. Even in something as simple as waking a patient, she was incredibly gentle and intentional. She answered every question I had in a soft, compassionate tone, choosing her words carefully and never making me feel like I was asking too many questions or taking up too much of her time.
Her compassion felt even more meaningful when I learned that Amanda had personally experienced something similar. She didn't immediately tell me about her own experience or make it about herself. Instead, when I asked her, she shared her experience with me. Knowing that she understood this kind of pain on a personal level made me feel less alone. She knew some things you cannot fix or make better, but she showed me you can still be present, gentle, and compassionate through them.
Amanda was also incredibly attentive to my needs as a patient. Whenever I had questions for my doctor, she quickly made sure they were communicated and answered. She advocated for me and made sure I understood what was happening. She cared for me thoroughly from the time she took over my care until she handed me off to the next nurse. Before handing off my care, she made sure that every medication request, comfort measure, and anything else she could do for me had been taken care of.
Amanda demonstrated exactly what compassionate nursing looks like. She couldn't change what I was going through, but she changed how alone I felt. Her warmth, gentleness, patience, and genuine compassion comforted me during one of the hardest moments I have experienced. I will remember how she hugged me, let me cry, spoke softly, and cared for me when I needed it most.
Amanda deserves the DAISY Award because she showed me that sometimes the most meaningful nursing care isn’t about having the right words or being able to fix a situation. Sometimes it is simply being willing to sit with someone in their pain, care for them with tenderness, advocate for them, and remind them that they are not alone. Amanda did exactly that for me, and I will forever be grateful that she was my nurse.
From that moment on, Amanda cared for me not only as a patient, but as a hurting person. She made sure I was as physically comfortable and as well cared for as possible. She brought me warm blankets and offered different comfort measures, always paying attention to what I needed. Every little thing mattered because, in that moment, I needed someone to care for me when I didn’t have much capacity to care for myself.
When I woke up, Amanda was the warm smile I saw and the soft voice I heard saying my name and gently helping me wake up. Even in something as simple as waking a patient, she was incredibly gentle and intentional. She answered every question I had in a soft, compassionate tone, choosing her words carefully and never making me feel like I was asking too many questions or taking up too much of her time.
Her compassion felt even more meaningful when I learned that Amanda had personally experienced something similar. She didn't immediately tell me about her own experience or make it about herself. Instead, when I asked her, she shared her experience with me. Knowing that she understood this kind of pain on a personal level made me feel less alone. She knew some things you cannot fix or make better, but she showed me you can still be present, gentle, and compassionate through them.
Amanda was also incredibly attentive to my needs as a patient. Whenever I had questions for my doctor, she quickly made sure they were communicated and answered. She advocated for me and made sure I understood what was happening. She cared for me thoroughly from the time she took over my care until she handed me off to the next nurse. Before handing off my care, she made sure that every medication request, comfort measure, and anything else she could do for me had been taken care of.
Amanda demonstrated exactly what compassionate nursing looks like. She couldn't change what I was going through, but she changed how alone I felt. Her warmth, gentleness, patience, and genuine compassion comforted me during one of the hardest moments I have experienced. I will remember how she hugged me, let me cry, spoke softly, and cared for me when I needed it most.
Amanda deserves the DAISY Award because she showed me that sometimes the most meaningful nursing care isn’t about having the right words or being able to fix a situation. Sometimes it is simply being willing to sit with someone in their pain, care for them with tenderness, advocate for them, and remind them that they are not alone. Amanda did exactly that for me, and I will forever be grateful that she was my nurse.
Thank you, Amanda, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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