Atlantic, IA – Cass Health officials have announced Shelley Paulsen, LPN, was honored with the DAISY Award during Nurses Week. A packed room of family, friends, and colleagues surprised her with a special ceremony to present the award. “I was shocked to walk into that room and see everyone there. While I don’t like being the center of attention, I am grateful for this recognition. I’ve always felt lucky to be a nurse and to be able to have such an impact on others,” said Paulsen.

Shelley Paulsen, LPN (Photo provided by Cass Health)

Paulsen has worked for 26 years at Atlantic Medical Center. She first joined the team as an immunization nurse, and she also worked with Dr. John Weresh until his retirement. Since then, she works daily with Scott Hixson, PA-C. Her nominator wrote, “Shelley needs to know just how truly amazing she is and that she has touched my life for many years at my lowest times in life and my highest times. I believe that God truly knew what he was doing with Shelley becoming a nurse and making our paths cross.” Paulsen commented, “I truly enjoy the patients and families we care for. I always try to treat them with respect and kindness, to let them know they are important to me, and that’s allowed me to develop a relationship with them over the years. It’s especially fun to see the babies I cared for bring their babies in to see us!”

Nurses at Cass Health are honored twice annually with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.® The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Award committee at Cass Health wishes to thank all nominators for their submissions. Each nurse who was nominated will be presented with a special pin and a copy of the nomination.

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 their patients and patient families.

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org. An online nomination form is available at https://www.casshealth.org/daisy.