Mayo recognizes nurses

EAU CLAIRE — Mayo Clinic Health System celebrated their nurses during National Nurses Week with an awards and recognition event.

Kelly Buchholtz, Mayo’s Chief Nursing Officer, said the week gives them time to honor their nurses the care and skill they put into their work. It also is a time to recognize what accomplishments they have made.

“Our teams face challenges with grace and determination, tackle them head on, pull each other up, flex where they need to to meet the needs of our patients, and do it with a smile on their face,” said Buchholtz.

This year has had challenges for the healthcare industry, but even with those issues, the nurses of the Mayo Clinic Health System were able to effectively use their beds to take care of people and even received a Magnet designation, she said.

A Magnet designation is a prestigious achievement that was officially awarded to the Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin in November.

They also recognized the nurses who had made achievements in the last year including with scholarships and the DAISY award.

Buchholtz said a DAISY award is a mostly monthly recognition of “extraordinary care.” DAISY, or Diseases Attacking the Immune System, nominations are made by patients, families, or co-workers when they have noticed nurses going above and beyond in how they help people.

The event also highlighted specific nurses through awards like the 2024 DAISY Nurse Leader Award, which was awarded to Cory Carlson.

People who could be chosen for this award included registered nurse supervisors, managers, directors, and nurse administrators, said Buchholtz. They must also have made a “difference in patient care by making a difference through their leadership”.

She said the award also looks for leadership who creates an environment that is caring for both co-workers and the patients they serve. They should also offer motivation for staff members through “a shared vision and enthusiasm” to help benefit patients.

Carlson is the nurse manager for inpatient psychiatry. Buchholtz said he treats members of the staff with kindness and respect which has led to a good relationship with them.

The award felt very rewarding, said Carlson. He has worked as a nurse manager for four years and as a supervisor for 14 years.

“I’ve really made it my mission to elevate mental health care for the area…” said Carlson. “Mental health is everywhere so we try to reach out and get it into as many different hospital facets as we possibly can.”

Carlson was also a member of the Proactive Behavioral Safety Action Team who were the winners of the Nursing Quality and Safety Award.

Other winners of awards included the winner of the Nursing Education Award Zarek Schultz, the winner of the Nursing Practice Award Cymbre Snyder, and the winner of the Friends of Nursing Award Curtis Frame. The winners of the Nursing Policy, Process, Procedure or Research Award was the Nurse Lactation Team.

“It’s really important to recognize our nurses for the work that they do all year round,” said Buchholtz.

He said that upcoming events held by the Mayo Clinic Health System in honor of National Nurses Week include a “nurses wear big shoes” event on Friday, where nurses can go on a walk during their break. The team who has the highest percentage of participation will “get the big shoes award for the next year.”

One way for people to recognize nurses both during the week and throughout the year is to stop and tell them “thank you”, said Buchholtz.