2020 DAISY Award Presented to Nan Wecker

Congratulation to Nan Wecker, RN, who was recently recognized as the Portland Shriners Hospital’s DAISY Award® Winner for 2020! Nan is a registered nurse who works in the post-acute care unit at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland. She has been an employee at the Portland Shriners Hospital for 16 years, and throughout her time at the hospital she has been a strong patient advocate and has championed many efforts to improve and enhance patient safety.

“I feel very honored that my co-workers have presented me with the DAISY Award,” Nan said. “There are so many wonderful nurses at Shriners [Hospital], many of whom are also deserving.”

In her role as a nurse in the post-acute care unit, Nan cares for patients immediately after surgery until they can be transferred to the inpatient unit. Nan is also part of the Clinical Advancement Board at the Portland Shriners Hospital, which gives her the opportunity to impart her clinical expertise to other nurses working towards clinical advancement through mentorship programs. In addition to serving on the board, she successfully encouraged one of her fellow nurses to apply to the program for clinical advancement earlier this year, which is a direct reflection of Nan’s commitment to the professional development of herself and others.

“Nan goes beyond expectations by volunteering for new projects and committees, and bringing her innovative insight to the department,” said Susan Steen, BSN, RN, CNOR, CNML, Nan’s supervisor and surgical services manager at the Portland Shriners Hospital. “Nan is a polished professional who excels in developing harmony and greater productivity from our team.”

Some of Nan’s work for patient safety includes advocating for nasal decolonization procedures, a simple procedure proven to be an effective method for reducing the potential for surgical-site infections. Nan has worked to champion these efforts by educating her teammates on the importance of having this done prior to surgery and encouraging her peers to go the extra mile with patient safety.

When asked what her favorite thing about her job is, Nan responded with: “I love that I get to make someone’s condition or life better, and getting to work with children who are so resilient and happy despite the difficulties they may face.”

“Nan’s work does not end when she leaves these four walls,” Susan said. “Nan is also a Red Cross volunteer outside of work, and she works tirelessly to send the message about the importance of donating blood.”

The DAISY Foundation was established in 2000 and recognizes extraordinary nurses everywhere who make an enormous difference in the lives of their patients through the superhuman work they do every day. Shriners Hospitals for Children — Portland is proud to be a DAISY Award hospital partner, annually recognizing one of our nurses with this special honor.

Congratulations, Nan!