August 2026 Honoree
Athanasia Schreiner, APNP
I have been the charge nurse in the neuro ICU for 20 years, and I’ve seen so many amazing moments from nurses, but I'm rarely on the other side as a family member. Athanasia Schreiner, NP, deserves recognition for the extraordinary compassion and patient-centered care she provided. She went far above and beyond her normal responsibilities to help an elderly, blind-in-one-eye, deaf patient (my father-in-law) who only spoke Greek navigate a very stressful and confusing experience in the Cath lab.
This patient faced multiple barriers to understanding his care-he was deaf, blind in one eye, spoke only Greek, and was preparing for an invasive cardiac procedure. Athanasia stepped in without hesitation, even though he was not her only assigned patient and she had her own responsibilities to manage. Because she spoke Greek, she could communicate directly with him in his native language, clearly explaining the procedures he would undergo and helping him understand what to expect. Her willingness to bridge that communication gap brought him comfort, dignity, and reassurance during what could have been an overwhelming and frightening experience. We faced a barrier: the interpreter iPad was too high-pitched, and he could not hear or understand it. So we called on a cell phone, and she was able to get consent by working back and forth with the interpreter and papou. I was afraid we wouldn't be able to do the procedure without consent.
What makes this especially meaningful is that she did this purely out of kindness and dedication to patient care. She didn't know him before today; it truly "wasn't her job," yet she recognized a patient in need and chose to help. She even personally walked him back to surgery to ensure he felt supported every step of the way. It was the cutest thing to see them walking back to surgery. They're the same height, and he had on his little gown; he went willingly because he felt safe with her, and she was so wonderful to him. I worried about him being in the operating room without an interpreter just to start the procedure. It's hard to understand how alone and scared you feel when no one in the room can understand you.
As a family member in healthcare, going through a whole week of procedures and tests has been very exhausting and Stressful. Athanasia Schreiner, NP, deserves to be recognized for the extraordinary care. Athanasia exemplifies the kind of compassionate, selfless nursing care the DAISY Award was created to honor. Her actions remind us that exceptional healthcare is not just about clinical skill, but about humanity, advocacy, and going the extra mile for patients when they need it most. A worried Greek family cannot repay her for her compassion!! And thank you to the cardiac cath lab, which let her spend more time with us instead of doing everything else she was supposed to do in her workday!
This patient faced multiple barriers to understanding his care-he was deaf, blind in one eye, spoke only Greek, and was preparing for an invasive cardiac procedure. Athanasia stepped in without hesitation, even though he was not her only assigned patient and she had her own responsibilities to manage. Because she spoke Greek, she could communicate directly with him in his native language, clearly explaining the procedures he would undergo and helping him understand what to expect. Her willingness to bridge that communication gap brought him comfort, dignity, and reassurance during what could have been an overwhelming and frightening experience. We faced a barrier: the interpreter iPad was too high-pitched, and he could not hear or understand it. So we called on a cell phone, and she was able to get consent by working back and forth with the interpreter and papou. I was afraid we wouldn't be able to do the procedure without consent.
What makes this especially meaningful is that she did this purely out of kindness and dedication to patient care. She didn't know him before today; it truly "wasn't her job," yet she recognized a patient in need and chose to help. She even personally walked him back to surgery to ensure he felt supported every step of the way. It was the cutest thing to see them walking back to surgery. They're the same height, and he had on his little gown; he went willingly because he felt safe with her, and she was so wonderful to him. I worried about him being in the operating room without an interpreter just to start the procedure. It's hard to understand how alone and scared you feel when no one in the room can understand you.
As a family member in healthcare, going through a whole week of procedures and tests has been very exhausting and Stressful. Athanasia Schreiner, NP, deserves to be recognized for the extraordinary care. Athanasia exemplifies the kind of compassionate, selfless nursing care the DAISY Award was created to honor. Her actions remind us that exceptional healthcare is not just about clinical skill, but about humanity, advocacy, and going the extra mile for patients when they need it most. A worried Greek family cannot repay her for her compassion!! And thank you to the cardiac cath lab, which let her spend more time with us instead of doing everything else she was supposed to do in her workday!
Thank you, Athanasia, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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