Each month, Northside Hospital honors special nurses with DAISY Awards. Patients and their families, along with the nurses’ co-workers, have the chance to recognize nurses for care that makes a difference.
Here are recent winners at Northside hospitals:
Northside Hospital Atlanta
December 2023: Lauren Bugner, R.N., works in the Women’s Surgical Unit.
What they said: A woman readmitted to the hospital after complications from a hysterectomy as part of treatment for cancer nominated Bugner. “This readmission has been frightening and frustrating, and at times I’ve struggled with feeling any kind of hope,” the patient wrote. “Lauren saw this and went out of her way to make my days better. … God has truly blessed her hands and soul.”
January 2024: Tanzy Walker, R.N., works in the High-Risk Pregnancy Unit.
What they said: A woman who needed an emergency Cesarean section said Walker was “a real-life angel that God sent me.” Walker knocked on the patient’s door the night after her surgery after realizing the patient had not yet been discharged. “When I say I can’t even describe the level of peace that came over my body, I truly can’t,” the patient wrote. “She visited with me for a while and let me share my birth story with her, again making me feel heard.”
Northside Hospital Cherokee
December 2023: Phonepaseuth “Tony” Salasap, R.N., works in the Acute Pulmonary Unit.
What they said: “He took away my fear and explained everything and always with a smile,” a patient wrote.
- “I will never forget his smile and great care. … He is truly the most compassionate nurse I have ever had here or anywhere.”
January 2024: Noah Callahan, R.N., works in Medical Surgery.
What they said: The relative of a patient at the end of life nominated Callahan, citing his compassion as the patient passed away: “We could not have felt more loved by a hospital employee. Noah deserves recognition for his kind heart and compassionate spirit. It was one of the hardest days of our lives and Noah made the transition a little easier.”
Northside Hospital Duluth
December 2023: Kelsey Benson, R.N., works in procedural nursing.
What they said: The nomination letter noted Benson immediately bonded with a patient. “She has watched and cared for him as he slowly slips closer to the inevitable end. Today she came in on her day off along with two other team members and helped our team present him with a team photo, signed by us all with messages about how he will always be remembered and how he has touched our hearts — especially Kelsey’s.”
January 2024: Nicola Clarke Tomlinson, R.N., works in the fifth-floor surgical suite.
What they said: “I was just amazed that one nurse checked all the boxes, which is rare in any nurse or associate,” a patient wrote.
- “I have been at the hospital for close to a week after emergency and to me, Nicola is MOST worthy of this award.”
Northside Hospital Forsyth
December 2023: Laura Jones, R.N., works in the Special Care Nursery.
What they said: The mother of a child who spent time in the SCN nominated Jones, writing, “She not only knows how to love and care for her patients, but she also knows how to love and care on the mamas who are sitting bedside in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), praying for the day that they get to go home. Throughout my time in the NICU, Laura helped me learn what it means to advocate for my child and what it means to find joy in the journey.”
January 2024: Peggy Coleman, R.N., works on 4T.
What they said: A patient with a neuromuscular autoimmune disease nominated Coleman and recounted an encounter on the night of a severe episode. “I remember her gentle, kind voice and her reassuring words, the cool rags and her wiping my tears,” the patient wrote. “Peggy showed me such dignified, humane treatment. She made sure I wasn’t embarrassed when she took care of me. I am truly grateful and I believe that Peggy saved my life.”
Northside Hospital Gwinnett
December 2023: April DeLeon, ADN, R.N., works in Annex 1500.
What they said: DeLeon was honored for helping a former patient find items left behind in a drawer in her hospital room. “She told the patient not to worry — she would be getting off work in a couple of hours, and that she would bring it to her. That is exactly what she did,” a co-worker said. “This is not the first time she has gone out of her way to help others. This is just the first time I am writing in.”
January 2024: Hannah Cho, R.N., is a Labor and Delivery nurse.
What they said: A new mom cited Cho for her compassion and sense of calm during childbirth. “This was my first time delivering, so she made me feel as comfortable as I could have been despite labor pains,” the mom wrote. “Unfortunately, my second baby experienced a prolapsed cord during my attempt to deliver her vaginally, so we had to immediately shift to the OR (operating room) for a C-section. … I don’t even think she got her full break because of all the complications that arose from my delivery, but I felt her compassion and care for me as a new mom the minute she walked in my room to help me during labor.”
Learn how to nominate someone for the DAISY Award.
