Surgery nurse receives annual DAISY Award at Adventist Health St. Helena

Adventist Health St. Helena is pleased to announce this year’s winner of the prestigious DAISY award, surgery nurse Cindy Nonescan, RN.

The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care given by nurses every day. Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians, and associates may nominate a deserving nurse.

A large group of fellow nurses and associates surprised and honored Nonescan on May 7 while her husband and three sons cheered in the background as they watched via cell phone.

The award, including a “Healer’s Touch” sculpture, was presented to Nonescan by Steven Herber, MD, Adventist Health St. Helena president, and Liz Dickinson, RN, patient care executive. Bonnie Barnes, the co-founder of the DAISY Award, also joined the celebration via Microsoft Teams.

"Cindy lives our mission every day and shows love,” Dickinson said. “Patients are so vulnerable when going into surgery, and she is always there for them. Cindy will be by their side holding their hand, giving an encouraging word or offering prayer - a true inspiration."

A fellow nurse said, “We call her The Princess because we love her so much. The Princess cares about doing a good job and doing it right, but she does it in a way that is friendly and considerate. She keeps her cool when people around her are tense, which happens a lot in surgery. The Princess is a precious jewel.”

Michael Reistad, RN, added, “Cindy serves our patients, surgeons, and fellow staff with the highest degree of respect and compassion. She provides the highest level of competent and compassionate care. She sets the bar high!”

Nonescan was among 14 extraordinary Adventist Health St. Helena nurses who were nominated for the DAISY Award.

The Barnes family formed the DAISY foundation in1999 in honor of, J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33. The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family.

“We were awed by the way the nurses touched him and spoke with him, said Mark Barnes, Patrick’s father. “The way they informed and educated us eased our minds. They truly helped us through the darkest hours of our lives, with soft voices of hope and strong loving hugs that to this day, we still feel.”