Serrano receives prestigious nursing award

Bothwell Regional Health Center recently presented its latest DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to Jenice Serrano.

The DAISY Award is for patients and their families to nominate nurses who give outstanding, compassionate and skillful care. Serrano is a Registered Nurse and works in the hospital’s Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU); she was nominated by recent patient, Sandra Gibson.

“I was there to have my gallbladder removed and things went differently than expected, yet Jenice went above and beyond taking care of me and my daughter,” Gibson said. “When I was admitted, Jenice came to check on me before leaving to go home and brought my daughter lunch. It’s clear she gives her all in everything she does, and she made us feel so special and cared for. Jenice is a keeper and an amazing nurse.” 

Serrano has been a nurse at Bothwell since May 2024. As a PACU nurse, she cares for patients while they recover from anesthesia following surgery or other medical procedures.

For Serrano, nursing is more than just a job—it’s a calling, and she especially enjoys the variety, challenges and personal fulfillment it offers. 

“Nursing is a profession that combines hands-on care, constant learning and the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others,” she said. “From the moment I considered nursing as a career, I was drawn to the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the job.”

Megan Elwood, an RN in Bothwell’s Clinical Education department, presented Serrano with a certificate congratulating her for being an “Extraordinary Nurse.” She also received a box of cinnamon rolls, a daisy bouquet, a DAISY Award pin and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa. A DAISY Award banner recognizing her will hang in the unit and Serrano’s name will appear on the DAISY Foundation website.

“Jenice is in our Nurse Residency program,” Elwood said. “Her ability to make patients and their families feel seen and cared for is one of her special traits and exemplifies the very heart of nursing. We are so proud of her and are grateful for the difference she’s making for patients at Bothwell.”

Serrano said receiving the DAISY Award was an unexpected honor and she is humbled by the recognition. 

“Nursing is a profession that I am deeply passionate about, and being able to provide care and support to patients during their most challenging moments is a privilege,” she said. “I don’t do this job for recognition—I just treat people the way I like to be treated. This award is not just a reflection of my work but also of the incredible team I work with every day. It motivates me to continue providing compassionate, high-quality care to those who need it most.”

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was started in 1999 in Glen Ellen, California, by members of the family of Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 of complications from an autoimmune disease. The care his nurses provided was the inspiration for the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Award.

An international award, the DAISY is awarded in more than 6,000 health care facilities and schools of nursing around the world, including 39 countries and territories. Bothwell Regional Health Center began recognizing its nurses with the DAISY Award in 2018. Jessica Wheeler, Shari Thomasson, Shasta Nardi, Courtney Rumans, Sarah Plante, Connie Roll, Ronda McMullin, Sarah Fredrickson, Sherri Egbert, Leslie Shapley, Seth Stotts, Stacey Nassar, Helen Fisher, Donna Cline, Linda Lower, Sarah Cordes, Reilly O’Shea and Heather Kaneko are previous recipients. 

To learn more or to submit a nomination, visit brhc.org/daisy.