St. Peter’s Hospital Honors Exceptional Nurses

St. Peter’s Health Partners (SPHP) is proud to recognize two nurses at St. Peter’s Hospital for nursing excellence.

Mallory Wood, RN, and Oksana Knisell, RN, both nurses in Labor and Delivery, are the hospital’s latest recipients of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the exceptional, compassionate care nurses provide patients and families every day. Nurses are nominated by their patients, patients’ families, and their peers.

Mallory was nominated by a patient who struggled in with breastfeeding during her postpartum stay. Mallory helped the new mother establish a pumping routine to feed her baby who had been losing weight.

“Her support to me on my pumping journey made the hugest difference to my day and my sense of confidence and happiness,” noted the patient in her nomination letter. “She definitely made me feel like I was not alone. Her personality and spirit make her an ideal nurse – she was consistently positive, encouraging, helpful, and kind in all our interactions over two days without fail.”

A colleague-turned-patient nominated Oksana, writing: “Her excitement for every step of progress in laboring patients; her passion to teach both mom and dad; and her drive to make every experience fun and memorable is absolutely astounding. Oksana was quick to boost my spirits between pushes, to advocate when needed, and was able to make such a vulnerable time feel natural and normal.”

33 other nurses from St. Peter’s Hospital were nominated for the award as well:

Peter Bach Tasyana Dieudonne Lilly Piche

Megan Baird Riyha Linda Encienzo Morgan Powell

Courtney Biernacki Stephanie Frank Rachel Quinn

Hannah Borgeest Alba Hall Jaclyn Ready

Robert Bramski Dawn Helligrass Francesca Rufa

Krista Cardin Audrey Hughes Diane Steele

Jessica Catalfamo Cassandra Jupin Lisa Sutton

Grace Catena Christopher Kirsch Brittney Tebordo

Aneesah Conry Denise Matthews Eric Tse

Elizabeth Cruz Stacia Moss Kelly Webb

Rena Cunningham Patrick Natera

Brittany Davis

DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 of complications from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, created the DAISY Award to honor his memory and recognize the healing work of the nurses who had cared for him and continue to care for patients everywhere.

There are more than 2,000 health care facilities in all 50 states and 14 other countries committed to honoring nurses with the DAISY Award.

Congratulations to the winners and nurse nominees!