UP Health System – Marquette ICU Nurse Savannah Koronka, RN, Honored with DAISY Award
November 1, 2023
UP Health System – Marquette is proud to honor Savannah Koronka, RN, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The award is given out every quarter and is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day.
Savannah cares for patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at UP Health System – Marquette. Nurses and providers in this unit care for a wide variety of critically ill patients whose conditions are often life-threatening, such as someone who was seriously injured or has undergone major surgery. Below is her nomination that came from a family member of two patients in Savannah's care:
"My father-in-law was a patient in the ICU step-down unit. Savannah was so great. She came in for pacemaker placement and while here he developed severe pain and swelling in his knee. Savannah would not give up on getting to the bottom of what was going on. She even called down to get an orthopedic doctor up to evaluate and pull fluid off of his knee—which showed severe infection. If not for her, he could have gone septic. Then, a little over a week later, my daughter was in a car accident in which my son was a passenger in the vehicle, and he passed away. Savannah was my daughter's nurse and was so attentive and caring. She just hugged me, held tight, and cried with me. Being a nurse myself, this type of compassion just can't be taught. I just can't say enough good things about her. She knows her stuff and delivers it in a professional, but compassionate way."
UP Health System – Marquette would like to also recognize the entire team of nurses who were nominated for the DAISY award this quarter:
- Megan Boyd, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Tyler Potila, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Christian Harris, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Madison Mechling, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Brian Stasevich, RN, Neuro/Ortho/Peds Unit
- Carrie Kalcich, RN, Neuro/Ortho/Peds Unit
- Rachel Wylie, RN, ICU
- Jenny Fung, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Jae Weidenhoefer, RN, Staffing Pool
- Makenzie Bowler, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Dani Hallenbock, RN, ICU
- Stephanie Anderson, RN, Oncology/Transfusion
- Lauren Angeli, RN, Family Birthing Center
- Chelsea Richards, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Emme Emmers, RN, Neuro/Ortho/Peds
- Danielle Brandenburg, RN, Staffing Pool
- Jillian Butvilas, RN, Cardiac Unit
- Cherie Radabaugh, R.T.(R)(T), Cancer Center
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick 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 patients and their families.
Patients, families, and colleagues may nominate nurses. Nominations are reviewed by a committee at UP Health System – Marquette, which then selects the winner. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the honoree’s colleagues, patients, friends, and family. Each honoree receives a certificate commending them that reads, “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.
Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, chief executive officer and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation said, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for their super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work. The kind of work the nurses at UP Health System – Marquette are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of the DAISY Award.”
"One of our top priorities is making sure our nurses know how valued and appreciated they are for the incredible, lifesaving care they provide every day," stated Christine Stryker, MBA, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer, UP Health System-Marquette. "The DAISY Award is one way we do that, and we are proud to participate in the program, as we are proud of all our nursing staff."
In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of direct care nurses, nurse-led teams, nurse leaders, nursing faculty, and nursing students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and nurses participating in medical missions.
To nominate an extraordinary nurse for the DAISY Award, visit our website. For more information on the DAISY Award, please visit the DAISY Foundation website.