September 2026 Honoree
Hannah E Smith, BSN, RN
Hannah joined the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center in December 2024 as our Nursing Quality Indicator (NQI) Nurse, stepping into a role that required both clinical curiosity and a deep commitment to system reliability. Coming from the PACU without prior hematology/oncology experience, she approached this highly specialized environment with humility, determination, and a genuine desire to understand the unique needs of our patients and families. In a remarkably short period of time, she has made our quality indicator work more organized, more reliable, and more connected across the team.
From her first weeks on the unit, Hannah immersed herself in learning the complexities of central line care, dressing integrity, application of specialty dressings, and the complications that can arise for immunocompromised patients. She stepped into a role that many still viewed through the lens of our former central line nurse model, and she met that uncertainty with clarity, curiosity, and initiative.
After learning central line care, she broadened the scope of her practice in thoughtful, meaningful ways. She quickly shaped the NQI role into a comprehensive, proactive program addressing all nursing quality indicators. Hannah rounds daily on patients and families, offering education, reinforcing bundle elements, and identifying early risks for hospital-acquired conditions such as CLABSI, pressure injuries, CAUTI, and sepsis.
At the bedside, she is thoughtful and engaged; she listens, teaches, and truly partners with patients and families. She has become a trusted resource for nurses, CBDC leaders, and families alike, and her ability has strengthened how reliably our team delivers safe, consistent care.
What sets Hannah apart is the way she connects with people. She brings calm, clarity, and genuine warmth to conversations that can otherwise feel overwhelming for caregivers navigating complex hematology and oncology care. Her compassion also extends to her colleagues. Whether she is helping troubleshoot a dressing change, supporting a nurse through a difficult shift, or stepping in to assist with a task, she shows up with a can-do spirit that lifts the entire team. Her presence makes the unit feel more supported and more cohesive.
Hannah is a role model for what dedication to nursing quality truly looks like. She has taken an active role in CLABSI event reviews and presenting findings at Microsystem. Public speaking was challenging for her in the beginning, but as her confidence in her NQI role increased, so did her ability to tell a patient’s story to a multidisciplinary audience.
She completed the Evidence-Based Practice Fellowship and is now applying for a nursing research grant to implement “CLABSI Cash,” an innovative token economy system designed to strengthen bundle adherence and reduce CLABSI rates. She has also participated in the UW Patient Safety and Quality Certificate course. She is an avid lifelong learner, always looking for opportunities to deepen her knowledge and apply it in ways that support safer, more reliable care.
She has also been a key organizer and participant in multidisciplinary rounds, including high-risk skin rounds and infection prevention rounds, collaborating with other disciplines to ensure patients receive coordinated, holistic care. She is eager to take on new projects, often before anyone asks, and her initiative has been a steady source of support for our unit’s quality and safety work.
Hannah is now transitioning into a Nursing Professional Development role in the Surgical Unit. While she will undoubtedly excel in this next chapter, her departure is deeply felt. She leaves behind a stronger, more reliable, and more connected program than the one she inherited, a true testament to her dedication, leadership, and heart.
Hannah embodies extraordinary nursing. She elevates patient care, strengthens team practice, and brings compassion and integrity to every interaction. Her impact on the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center has been profound, and she is richly deserving of the DAISY Award.
From her first weeks on the unit, Hannah immersed herself in learning the complexities of central line care, dressing integrity, application of specialty dressings, and the complications that can arise for immunocompromised patients. She stepped into a role that many still viewed through the lens of our former central line nurse model, and she met that uncertainty with clarity, curiosity, and initiative.
After learning central line care, she broadened the scope of her practice in thoughtful, meaningful ways. She quickly shaped the NQI role into a comprehensive, proactive program addressing all nursing quality indicators. Hannah rounds daily on patients and families, offering education, reinforcing bundle elements, and identifying early risks for hospital-acquired conditions such as CLABSI, pressure injuries, CAUTI, and sepsis.
At the bedside, she is thoughtful and engaged; she listens, teaches, and truly partners with patients and families. She has become a trusted resource for nurses, CBDC leaders, and families alike, and her ability has strengthened how reliably our team delivers safe, consistent care.
What sets Hannah apart is the way she connects with people. She brings calm, clarity, and genuine warmth to conversations that can otherwise feel overwhelming for caregivers navigating complex hematology and oncology care. Her compassion also extends to her colleagues. Whether she is helping troubleshoot a dressing change, supporting a nurse through a difficult shift, or stepping in to assist with a task, she shows up with a can-do spirit that lifts the entire team. Her presence makes the unit feel more supported and more cohesive.
Hannah is a role model for what dedication to nursing quality truly looks like. She has taken an active role in CLABSI event reviews and presenting findings at Microsystem. Public speaking was challenging for her in the beginning, but as her confidence in her NQI role increased, so did her ability to tell a patient’s story to a multidisciplinary audience.
She completed the Evidence-Based Practice Fellowship and is now applying for a nursing research grant to implement “CLABSI Cash,” an innovative token economy system designed to strengthen bundle adherence and reduce CLABSI rates. She has also participated in the UW Patient Safety and Quality Certificate course. She is an avid lifelong learner, always looking for opportunities to deepen her knowledge and apply it in ways that support safer, more reliable care.
She has also been a key organizer and participant in multidisciplinary rounds, including high-risk skin rounds and infection prevention rounds, collaborating with other disciplines to ensure patients receive coordinated, holistic care. She is eager to take on new projects, often before anyone asks, and her initiative has been a steady source of support for our unit’s quality and safety work.
Hannah is now transitioning into a Nursing Professional Development role in the Surgical Unit. While she will undoubtedly excel in this next chapter, her departure is deeply felt. She leaves behind a stronger, more reliable, and more connected program than the one she inherited, a true testament to her dedication, leadership, and heart.
Hannah embodies extraordinary nursing. She elevates patient care, strengthens team practice, and brings compassion and integrity to every interaction. Her impact on the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center has been profound, and she is richly deserving of the DAISY Award.
Thank you, Hannah E, for your exceptional compassion, advocacy, and dedication to your patients. You truly make a difference.
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