SALISBURY – Kristie Cooper, RN, of TidalHealth Peninsula Regional’s labor & delivery (L & D) unit, has been selected as the May 2024 recipient of the Daisy Award for her care and special attention provided to an expectant mother.

Her nomination, below, was written by that patient, a fellow healthcare professional, to express her appreciation for Cooper’s extraordinary care.

Recently, I arrived on L&D for a voluntary induction as I was 39 weeks and well over being pregnant. I met several staff members who were all very helpful and pleasant, but my nurse, Kristie, stood out due to her bubbly personality and welcoming bedside manner.

She immediately put my mind at ease by thoroughly explaining all procedures and processes. She went above and beyond for my family and was also very inclusive when explaining things. She even held my hand when things got rough, and when my anxiety got the best of me. She was supportive and encouraging and made me feel seen and heard when I asked questions or spoke to certain preferences.

She even requested me as her assignment on the Mother Baby unit and brought me freshly baked sugar cookies!

Although simple, these moments of empathy made all the difference during my delivery and stay. As a woman of color, statistically, childbirth can be undoubtedly terrifying and filled with uncertainty due to a multitude of varying factors. Kristie made sure that my daughter and I were taken care of with the utmost respect.

Thank you, Kristie, you are a light that I pray continues to shine. Your passion for patient care is evident and you have made such a positive impact on me personally.

Cooper was recently honored with the Daisy Award in a ceremony before her colleagues. She received certificates commending her for being an extraordinary nurse, and a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease.

The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.