Mercy College of Health Sciences hosted the Nursing Pinning Ceremony for summer graduates on August 5, 2022. Graduating students celebrated the accomplishment of becoming a nurse with their families, friends, and faculty at St. Ambrose Cathedral in downtown Des Moines, Iowa.

During the ceremony, nominees for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students were announced. Five students were nominated for the award: Adam Wainwright, Elizabeth Brooks, Ethan Hamilton, Carol McFarland, and Grace Eischeid. After all nominees had been recognized, Brooks was named the DAISY Award recipient.

“Not only did Elizabeth give extraordinary care by following regular protocols, but she took the time to listen to her patients and understand their circumstances, and to chart and communicate with others to give them above and beyond care,” wrote a fellow student in her nomination for Brooks. “She is truly compassionate in her work and loves what she does. May we all be so lucky to have a nurse like Elizabeth Brooks when we need one.”

Brooks received 19 individual nominations for the award and will graduate from Mercy College this summer with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

The DAISY – Diseases Attacking the Immune System – Foundation was established in memory of Patrick Barnes, who passed away in late 1999 following a long hospital stay. The DAISY Award recognizes extraordinary nurses for their compassionate care toward their patients. In 2010, the Foundation also established the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty to honor the contributions faculty make to the future of the nursing profession. To learn more about the DAISY Foundation or to nominate a nurse, please visit the DAISY website.

Ready to Chart Your Course as a nurse? Visit mchs.edu/nursing for more information.