February and March 2025 DAISY®, and BEE Award Recipients

Published on: April 29, 2025

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY and BEE Award recipients for February and March 2025. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recognizes exemplary nursing staff, and the BEE Award honors other outstanding staff members who are excellent every day, both at the hospital and outpatient clinics.

Allison Howard, a Registered Nurse (RN) in Samaritan’s Emergency Department, received the DAISY Award for February. Heather Berry, a Registered Nurse (RN) in Samaritan’s Surgical Services, received the DAISY Award for March. Beth Hayes, Radiologic Technologist, Samaritan Medical Center, received the BEE Award for February. Veronica (Harley) Plaschka, Central Sterilization Technician in Samaritan’s Surgical Services, received the BEE Award for March.  

Howard’s nomination was provided by the parent of a patient who expressed their gratitude for compassion and advocacy of their loved one during their time at the hospital.

Berry was nominated by a colleague who explained the nurse’s commitment to helping others and dedication to the profession.

For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – Howard and Berry were presented with certificates commending them as extraordinary nurses. They each received a DAISY Award pin, and a symbolic sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which is hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. A larger version of this sculpture has also been installed in the Healing Gardens at Samaritan Medical Center in honor of all DAISY and BEE Award winners to come. It was purchased using funds donated by the Samaritan Auxiliary.

Hayes was nominated by a colleague for being helpful and being a champion for care for all the patients she encounters. She was acknowledged for her willingness to learn and desire to improve her own career through education and training.

Plaschka was nominated by a colleague who expressed the importance of a job well done by someone who works behind the scenes to ensure quality and patient safety through proper cleansing of surgical instruments.

Both awardees were presented with a certificate, a BEE Award pin, and a gift bag with other tokens of gratitude. 

These awards will continue to be presented throughout the year, and patients, families, or colleagues can submit nominations at any time. To make a nomination or to learn more about the Samaritan DAISY and BEE Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.

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Pictured here, from left to right, are Beth Hayes, February 2025 BEE Awardee, Allison Howard, February 2025 DAISY Awardee, Heather Berry, and Veronica Plaschka, March 2025 DAISY and BEE Awardees. Congratulations.

About Samaritan Medical Center

Samaritan Medical Center (Watertown, New York) is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, such as cancer treatment, neonatal intensive care, behavioral health and addiction services, and imaging services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of our civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are the basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

About The DAISY Foundation

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.   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, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://www.DAISYfoundation.org.