Sidney Health Center is proud to announce that Malisa Reed, RN, has been honored with The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses, a national recognition program that celebrates the skillful and compassionate care nurses provide every day.
The recent award ceremony recognized twelve exceptional nurses who were nominated by patients and family members for their commitment to outstanding patient care. The nominees included Karen Ask, Jeff Chilson, Lindsey Dynneson, Caycee Hermanson, Cassidy Jorenson, Katharine King, Ceara Miske, Malisa Reed, Janessa Rhines, Cheryl Trumphower, Katie Turnbull and Renee Williams.
Malisa’s nomination highlights her exceptional empathy, compassion, and dedication to patient-centered care. A family shared how their young daughter arrived very ill and quickly required admission, and from the moment they met Malisa, it was clear she would be attentive and highly engaged in the child’s care. Throughout a difficult and emotional shift involving multiple attempts to obtain lab work, Malisa remained professional and supportive, while also showing deep empathy for the distress the situation caused both the patient and her family. After the procedure, she went out of her way to bring comfort by purchasing a doll for the child and later returned with sippy cups. The family emphasized her kindness, communication, and genuine compassion, describing her as a truly one-of-a-kind nurse who helped their child feel safe and cared for during a very frightening experience.
Malisa Reed joined Sidney Health Center’s nursing team in 2018 and has grown through multiple roles, beginning as a CNA and later serving as a UAP before advancing to RN. She has worked on Med/Surg and cross-trained in CCU, where she currently works. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care and professional growth. She is known for her gentle, caring approach with patients, consistently treating them as if they were her own family. In her current role, she provides attentive critical care while supporting patients and families through complex and often emotional healthcare experiences.
Reflecting on her nursing journey, Malisa shared that her path has been shaped by a long-standing passion for caring for others and a desire to continue learning and growing within the profession. She values the variety of experiences she has gained across departments, noting that each role has strengthened her skills and deepened her understanding of patient care. Malisa expressed pride in being part of a team that supports one another and works together to provide the best possible outcomes for patients, especially in critical care settings like CCU.
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 at age 33 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disease. The compassionate care Patrick and his family received from nurses during his illness inspired the creation of the DAISY Award. (DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.)
Nurses can be nominated by patients, families, or colleagues. At Sidney Health Center, DAISY Award recipients are selected by a dedicated committee and honored in a special ceremony twice a year. Each honoree receives a certificate of recognition, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, created by artists from the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.
Sidney Health Center’s nursing staff—comprising advanced practice providers, registered nurses, and LPNs—represents 19% of the organization’s workforce, providing compassionate care across all service areas.
If you’ve received exceptional care from a nurse at Sidney Health Center—whether during a hospital stay, clinic visit, emergency situation, outpatient procedure, or long-term care—you can express your gratitude by submitting a DAISY Award nomination. To learn more, visit SidneyHealth.org/Patients/Nominate-a-Nurse.