Esther Thomas, a registered nurse in the Radiology Department at Citizens Memorial Hospital, received the January 2026 CMH DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, according to a March 9 announcement.
The DAISY Award recognizes nurses who provide exceptional care. Thomas was nominated by a patient who described her as highly skilled and compassionate during a recent visit.
“Esther was exceptional today and made a stressful situation feel completely manageable,” the patient wrote in the nomination. The patient explained feeling anxious about needing an IV for CT contrast but was reassured when Thomas offered to access the patient’s port instead.
The nomination also noted that Thomas remembered details from a previous visit and carefully assessed the port before placing the needle “with impressive accuracy.” The patient reported feeling no pain during the procedure. “What stood out most was the combination of skill and genuine compassion,” the patient continued. “Esther was kind, considerate and patient.” The patient added that after nearly a decade of medical procedures, it meant a great deal “to feel truly cared for and to have a difficult procedure done smoothly, successfully and without discomfort.”
The DAISY Foundation established this international award program in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 from an autoimmune disease. Citizens Memorial Hospital began its DAISY Awards program in January 2019, with one nurse from either Citizens Memorial Hospital or Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation receiving recognition each month.
Nominations for future awards can be submitted through Citizens Memorial Hospital.
