Forrest Health Names DAISY Award Winner for September
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (October 2, 2024) Forrest Health has named Elizabeth Panella, RN, 2T, as its September DAISY Award winner. The DAISY award, which is presented monthly to a deserving nurse or nurses, exemplifies clinical expertise and compassionate care and is recognized as a role model in the nursing community.
Elizabeth had two nominations this month. Her first nominator said they call her Betsy. She was a preceptor for me and was so patient during the process of me being a new nurse,” said the nominator. “She makes sure her patients are taken care of, walked, and satisfied at all times. She is Patient Care Coordinator when she is not picking up extra shifts to take patients. While she is acting as PCC, she never fails to help her co-workers in any way possible. If she sees them drowning, she doesn’t ask, she just does without hesitation
“Betsy leaves with a smile on her face after every shift, no matter how hard the day. She gives good advice when dealing with patients who may prove difficult. One night when I was still a tech, I had to work half a night and be back at work for a nursing clinical at 6:00 a.m. She opened her home to me, so I could get some sleep. When I first started as a nurse, she personally bought me a scrub jacket, so I would have one. She is who I aspire to be as a nurse. She is truly amazing, both inside and out.”
Another nominator noted that Elizabeth has worked all over the hospital, including the ICU during the COVID pandemic, cardiac step-down unit, and 2T for nearly 30 years. “Betsy is a behind-the-scenes kind of person, not drawing attention to herself. Under duress, she accepted the PCC position, so she could mentor up-and-coming nurses who she believed had great potential,” the nominator said. “She is the go-to person on the floor when the surgeons or cardiologists need help. She is great at scaffolding and reaching over the shoulders to help with all the nurses, but especially the new nurses. She would do anything for anyone. Her patients love her, and request her by name, in case of re-admission.”
Panella, who received her degree from Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, Ill.), has been employed at Forrest General since 1995. The Hattiesburg resident said she chose the healthcare field because when her mom got sick, she watched the nurses get her better. “It just had a huge impact on me,” she said.
“We are so proud of Betsy,” said Kim Reddish, RN, MSN, CENP, CCRN (alum), Forrest General Hospital Chief Nursing Officer/vice president. “She is a wonderful representation of how the DAISY award was envisioned by the founders of the organization. Forrest General is proud to have such an extraordinary nurse integrated into the team.”
To nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award, visit forresthealth.org/daisyaward.
ABOUT FORREST HEALTH
Forrest Health is a system of healthcare organizations formed to increase access to quality health care in south Mississippi. Forrest General Hospital is its flagship hospital. In addition to Forrest General, Forrest Health hospitals include: Highland Community Hospital, Picayune; Jefferson Davis Community Hospital & Extended Care Facility, Prentiss; Marion General Hospital, Columbia; Pearl River County Hospital & Nursing Home, Poplarville; Perry County General Hospital, Richton; and Walthall General Hospital, Tylertown. Forrest Health is also home to The Orthopedic Institute and Institute of Neuroscience, both in Hattiesburg, as well as a variety of healthcare clinics throughout its 19-county coverage area.
