PHOTO PROVIDED DAISY winners Joe Niklaus, RN, UPMC Williamsport; Mitchel Petersen, BSN, UPMC Muncy; and Tiffany Rupert, RN, UPMC Home Healthcare of Central Pennsylvania and Family Hospice, pictured with their awards.

WILLIAMSPORT — Joe Niklaus, RN, UPMC Williamsport; Mitchel Petersen, BSN, UPMC Muncy; and Tiffany Rupert, RN, UPMC Home Healthcare of Central Pennsylvania and Family Hospice, were recently recognized as recipients of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

Joe was nominated by a patient’s family member who shared:

“During a recent nine-day stay at UPMC Williamsport, my dad was fortunate enough to have Joe as his nurse for three days. It was instantly evident that Joe was a thorough and exceptional medical care provider. During the discharge process, Joe’s abilities really stood out as he thoroughly explained the discharge plan and extensively went over the current list of medications. He even called me to explain things further. The final act of Joe’s fantastic care and example of kindness came when we had been waiting on transport to come. He knew my dad was anxious to go home and he did not want him to wait any longer, so he scooped my dad up and delivered him to my car. Now that’s exceptional care. UPMC is very fortunate to have Joe on their staff, and my family was blessed by his care.”

Mitchel was nominated by a patient who shared:

“I first met Mitch in September of 2024, and he was my nurse for a couple hospital stays later that year. He was compassionate, caring and encouraging. There were times when it was hard for me, but his encouragement would keep me going. I ended up in the hospital again a couple weeks ago, and I was fortunate to have him for one shift. It was a pleasure being under his care, plus I could show him I could walk again. I trust him and feel safe being under his care.”

Tiffany was nominated by a patient’s family member who shared:

“Tiffany provided hospice care to my mother. Being a hospice nurse myself, I attempted to inform my family that my mother was declining. It was Tiffany, with her kind presence and hospice experience, who was able to lead my family, especially my father, through this difficult time. She instinctively knew what words to use and the correct time to use them. She faced push-back sometimes and was still able to get the important points across to help our family during this difficult time. It’s also important to acknowledge her patience with my father. He asked the same questions of her multiple times, and she never took offense, maintaining professionalism throughout the process. She displayed the best nursing skills, making sure my mom was comfortable. I will be forever grateful to Tiffany and feel blessed for her guidance.”

The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in California by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 from complications of an auto-immune disease. During his eight-week hospital stay, his family was impressed by the care and compassion his nurses provided, not only to him but to everyone in the family. They created the DAISY Award in his memory to recognize those nurses who make a big difference in the lives of so many people.

UPMC is proud to be a DAISY Award partner. Nurses are nominated by patients, family members of patients, as well as other healthcare professionals. DAISY Awards are presented to nurses at UPMC in North Central Pa. monthly. Each DAISY Award Honoree is given a DAISY Award pin, a certificate of honor and a stone sculpture entitled, A Healer’s Touch, handcrafted by a tribe in Zimbabwe. Anyone can nominate a nurse for the award including co-workers, patients, patient family members or physicians. To nominate a nurse, visit UPMC.com/ThankaNurse.