International honour awarded to Andrews nurse

Merissa Geoghagen, a registered nurse at Andrews Memorial Hospital, has become Jamaica’s first recipient of the DAISY Award, an international honour recognising nurses for exceptional clinical skill and compassionate care.

The award, established in the United States in 1999, recognises nurses who make a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families. Geoghagen was selected from 17 nominees after receiving four nominations, the highest number submitted for any individual nurse.

Her nomination came from patient Camica Simpson, who was admitted to Andrews Memorial Hospital for four days following a medical procedure. Simpson said Geoghagen’s professionalism, empathy and attentiveness transformed what could have been an anxious experience into a reassuring one. In her nomination, she praised the nurse’s willingness to explain treatments, check in regularly, and provide comfort throughout her stay.

“What stood out the most was her genuine smile and compassion,” Simpson wrote. She added that Geoghagen never made her feel like “just a patient”.

The announcement was made by Lady Patrcia Allen during a ceremony celebrating the launch of the DAISY Award programme at Andrews Memorial Hospital. A former nurse herself, Lady Allen reflected on the demands of the profession, noting that nurses routinely sacrifice nights, weekends and holidays in service to others.

“I know the nursing profession not only as an observer, but from having stood where many of you stand, caring for people at some of their most vulnerable moments,” she said. “That commitment deserves more than our thanks. It deserves to be recognised.”

For Geoghagen, who joined Andrews Memorial Hospital just six months ago, the award came as an unexpected honour.

“I feel elated and excited about it, and I feel honoured to receive the award from the DAISY Foundation,” she said.

Her commitment to caregiving began long before she entered the profession. As a teenager, she helped care for her grandparents, an experience that inspired her to pursue nursing.

Hospital leaders used the occasion to highlight the role nurses play in delivering compassionate care. Pastor Adrian Cotterell, representing the chairman of the hospital’s board, said healthcare’s greatest strength lies in its people and praised nurses for combining clinical excellence with empathy and kindness.

Donmayne Gyles, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer, described the award as an opportunity to recognise the impact nurses have on patients and families every day, often through small acts of reassurance as much as through technical expertise.

Dr Lisa Henry, director of nursing services and the driving force behind the hospital’s adoption of the DAISY programme, said nursing at Andrews is viewed as both a profession and a ministry.

“As a faith-based organisation, we have always understood nursing as ministry, the work of hands guided by the heart,” she said.

She said Geoghagen embodied the compassion, attentiveness and clinical excellence the award was created to celebrate.

As the inaugural recipient, Geoghagen received a certificate recognising her as an “Extraordinary Nurse”, a DAISY Award pin, a bouquet of daisies and a hand-carved Zimbabwean sculpture symbolising the healing spirit of nursing.

The recognition also brings access to professional-development opportunities, scholarships, grants, and an international network of nurses honoured for exceptional patient care.