Goshen Health recognizes Colleagues with The Gardener and DAISY Awards

Pictured above: Q4 2025 Gardener Award Recipient Dulce Mayorga (Patient Access); Q4 2025 DAISY Award Recipient Karina Jimenez (RN PCU)

After the compassionate care J. Patrick Barnes received from nurses prior to his passing in 1999 due to complications from an autoimmune disease, Barnes’ family members wanted a way to show their appreciation for the nurses who made his experience the best they could. This desire to reward nurses for compassionate care led to the creation of The DAISY Foundation® and The DAISY Award®, which has been awarded to nurses on a global level. While many Goshen Health nurses have received The DAISY Award, Goshen Health also wanted to recognize its non-nursing Colleagues, leading to the development of The Gardener Award.

“The Gardener Award was developed at Goshen Health as a complement to The DAISY Award. It recognizes Colleagues (who are not nurses) for supporting and facilitating exemplary service or care. These Colleagues have a positive attitude, demonstrate professionalism, and exemplify the mission and values of Goshen Hospital every day,” said Goshen Health Director of Education and Professional Practice, Erica Prough. “We explored several options that aligned with The DAISY program name and ultimately selected Gardener. The name represents the important role every member of the health care team plays in nurturing a positive patient experience.”

Goshen Health brought The DAISY Award to its system in September 2021, launching The Gardener Award at the same time. The first winners for both awards were recognized in the first quarter of 2022. Whether they had a positive experience with a nurse or another Colleague of Goshen Health, patients, their families, and community members can nominate their favorite Goshen Health Colleagues for The Gardener or The DAISY Awards.

The DAISY Foundation also recognizes that expressing gratitude through a nomination is part of the healing journey in itself. It offers the patients and families an opportunity to reflect and honor the caregivers who touched their lives.

Nominations are reviewed by a committee composed of a cross-section of various departments, and scored to select a winner each quarter. Once the winners are selected, Goshen Health treats the winners to surprise celebrations in their departments, completed with awards and cinnamon rolls.

“Both celebrations include a certificate, a pin, and cinnamon rolls to share,” Prough said. “The cinnamon rolls are part of the standard DAISY ceremony, stemming from when Patrick was in the hospital and not eating much, but he ate the cinnamon roll his father brought in to eat. Pat asked that his dad bring one back the next day for him and to bring enough to share with all of his nurses. The DAISY ceremony includes a specific sculpture—the Healer’s Touch—handmade by artists in Zimbabwe. The Gardener ceremony includes an award as well.”

Goshen Health also honors each nominee with a copy of their nomination, a pin, and departmental recognition.

The most recent Gardener & DAISY Award recipients and nominees:

Q4 2025 Gardener Award 

Recipient – Dulce Mayorga, Patient Access

Nominees – Melissa Spencer, Lisa Helbling, Sarah Depompeo, Connie Adkins

Q4 2025 DAISY Award 

Recipient – Karina Jimenez, RN PCU

Nominees – Darian Johnson, Chris Warren, Kayla Pippenger, Emily Weaver, Anilyn Soriano, Zachary Kruse, Tinsley Yoder, Sylvia McBride

“It is incredibly moving to hear the nomination read and see the Colleague’s face when they realize that they are receiving the award. Seeing them reconnect with their patients or family members during the ceremony is so special,” Prough said. “These nominations bring joy and remind them that their compassion, presence, and care make a difference for patients and families during some of their most vulnerable moments.” 

For more information about Goshen Health, visit goshenhealth.com.