Pediatric Nurse Diabetic Educator Team
May 2026
Pediatric Nurse Diabetic Educator Team
University Iowa Medical Center
Iowa City
,
IA
United States
Sue Huff, BSN, RN, CDCES
Ashley Norris, BSN, RN, CDCES
Haley Pins, BSN, RN
Amy Sheehan, BSN, RN
Haylee Suter, BSN, RN, CDCES
Kaitelynn Utterback, BSN, RN
Ashley Norris, BSN, RN, CDCES
Haley Pins, BSN, RN
Amy Sheehan, BSN, RN
Haylee Suter, BSN, RN, CDCES
Kaitelynn Utterback, BSN, RN
The Pediatric Diabetes Nurse Educator team exemplifies the highest standards of nursing excellence, clinical expertise, and compassionate family-centered care. What began as the effort of a single dedicated nurse supporting a small handful of patients has grown into a robust team of six highly skilled educators who now serve more than 1,400 pediatric diabetes patients and their families. This remarkable growth reflects not only the increasing needs of the community but also the team’s steadfast commitment to ensuring that every child diagnosed with diabetes receives safe, comprehensive, and dignified care.
The foundation of this team’s success lies in exceptional teamwork. Each member brings unique strengths, yet they function seamlessly as one cohesive unit. They demonstrate a shared purpose, clear communication, and an unwavering willingness to support one another. Whether troubleshooting a difficult case, covering a colleague’s patient load, or brainstorming creative solutions to meet a family’s needs, they consistently prioritize what is best for the patients they serve. Their ability to collaborate so fluidly is a testament to their professional respect for one another and a collective dedication to their mission.
Beyond their clinical roles, these nurse educators embody compassion in every interaction. Families facing a new diabetes diagnosis often describe the experience as overwhelming, frightening, and life-altering. This team meets those families at their most vulnerable moments—with patience, empathy, and genuine care. They take time to educate, reassure, and empower parents and children who are navigating a steep learning curve. Their goal-oriented approach ensures that each family not only understands the complex aspects of diabetes management but also feels confident and supported throughout the transition.
Their daily work extends far beyond teaching inpatient or in-clinic education. These nurses spend countless hours on the phone each day addressing urgent blood sugar concerns, illness management, device issues, and anxieties of newly diagnosed children. They advocate for their patients, collaborate with multidisciplinary providers, and provide critical real-time guidance that prevents complications and reduces emergency visits. Their availability and calm presence offer families a lifeline during difficult and uncertain moments.
Yet this team also understands the importance of celebrating victories, both big and small. They recognize milestones such as “diaversaries,” reinforcing how far patients have come since diagnosis. They take joy in acknowledging National Diabetes Day with their families, using it as an opportunity to build community, encourage resilience, and remind patients that they are not alone. These touches of humanity reflect the heart and soul that each nurse pours into their work.
The Pediatric Diabetes Nurse Educator team’s impact reaches far beyond clinical metrics. They change lives. They restore hope. They build trusting relationships that carry families through years of growth, development, and challenges. Parents often describe these nurses as the steady voices who guided them through their darkest nights. Children remember them as the ones who believed in them when they were afraid. This emotional labor—quiet, unmeasured, but deeply felt—is part of what makes this team extraordinary.
Their work illustrates the best of nursing: compassion combined with expertise; teamwork strengthened by shared purpose; and a steadfast belief that every family deserves exceptional care and unwavering support. As their patient population has grown exponentially, this team has risen to the challenge with grace, innovation, and resilience. They continue to uphold the values of the DAISY Award through every teaching session, every phone call, and every heartfelt moment shared with the families they serve.
For their exceptional teamwork, their dedication to patient-centered care, and their profound and lasting impact on the pediatric diabetes community, the Pediatric Diabetes Nurse Educator team is truly a DAISY Team.
The foundation of this team’s success lies in exceptional teamwork. Each member brings unique strengths, yet they function seamlessly as one cohesive unit. They demonstrate a shared purpose, clear communication, and an unwavering willingness to support one another. Whether troubleshooting a difficult case, covering a colleague’s patient load, or brainstorming creative solutions to meet a family’s needs, they consistently prioritize what is best for the patients they serve. Their ability to collaborate so fluidly is a testament to their professional respect for one another and a collective dedication to their mission.
Beyond their clinical roles, these nurse educators embody compassion in every interaction. Families facing a new diabetes diagnosis often describe the experience as overwhelming, frightening, and life-altering. This team meets those families at their most vulnerable moments—with patience, empathy, and genuine care. They take time to educate, reassure, and empower parents and children who are navigating a steep learning curve. Their goal-oriented approach ensures that each family not only understands the complex aspects of diabetes management but also feels confident and supported throughout the transition.
Their daily work extends far beyond teaching inpatient or in-clinic education. These nurses spend countless hours on the phone each day addressing urgent blood sugar concerns, illness management, device issues, and anxieties of newly diagnosed children. They advocate for their patients, collaborate with multidisciplinary providers, and provide critical real-time guidance that prevents complications and reduces emergency visits. Their availability and calm presence offer families a lifeline during difficult and uncertain moments.
Yet this team also understands the importance of celebrating victories, both big and small. They recognize milestones such as “diaversaries,” reinforcing how far patients have come since diagnosis. They take joy in acknowledging National Diabetes Day with their families, using it as an opportunity to build community, encourage resilience, and remind patients that they are not alone. These touches of humanity reflect the heart and soul that each nurse pours into their work.
The Pediatric Diabetes Nurse Educator team’s impact reaches far beyond clinical metrics. They change lives. They restore hope. They build trusting relationships that carry families through years of growth, development, and challenges. Parents often describe these nurses as the steady voices who guided them through their darkest nights. Children remember them as the ones who believed in them when they were afraid. This emotional labor—quiet, unmeasured, but deeply felt—is part of what makes this team extraordinary.
Their work illustrates the best of nursing: compassion combined with expertise; teamwork strengthened by shared purpose; and a steadfast belief that every family deserves exceptional care and unwavering support. As their patient population has grown exponentially, this team has risen to the challenge with grace, innovation, and resilience. They continue to uphold the values of the DAISY Award through every teaching session, every phone call, and every heartfelt moment shared with the families they serve.
For their exceptional teamwork, their dedication to patient-centered care, and their profound and lasting impact on the pediatric diabetes community, the Pediatric Diabetes Nurse Educator team is truly a DAISY Team.