When Heroes Wear Scrubs: Nurses Go Above and Beyond with Compassionate Care

Nurses are experts at their craft, delivering patient care with a unique blend of expertise, empathy and dedication — 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Recognizing the profound role nurses play in caring for people enables healthcare organizations, patients and family members to express gratitude for the difference they make.

DaVita, a comprehensive kidney care provider, employs thousands of nephrology nurses who specialize in caring for people living with chronic kidney disease across the nation.

Nephrology nurses skillfully care for patients throughout every stage of their kidney care journey — from early interventions to slow the disease's progression to supporting transplantation, from acute hospital care to dialysis at home. Because dialysis patients typically need multiple treatments each week, they often develop deep relationships with their care teams.

DaVita recently honored 56 of its nephrology nurses with the DAISY Award^® for Extraordinary Nurses. The DAISY Award is a special honor given through the DAISY Foundation to recognize extraordinary nurses for the compassionate contributions they make every day.

"The empathy and compassion that nurses bring to their interactions with patients and their loved ones is a foundational part of healthcare," said Tina Livaudais, chief nursing officer for DaVita. "Nurses are at the heart of the care we provide at DaVita, and our DAISY recipients lead with these qualities, helping to deliver on DaVita's mission as a provider of choice through their unwavering dedication to clinical excellence."

DaVita's 2025 DAISY Award recipients were nominated by fellow employees (teammates) and patients for helping to deliver outstanding clinical outcomes and consistently demonstrating caring behaviors. Their stories are a powerful reminder that nursing is more than a profession; it's a calling. Here are just a few.

Nicole Morales

Nicole Morales embodies what it means to be a nurse. For DaVita patients across greater Milwaukee, Nicole provides steadfast dedication, compassion and selflessness. As a home dialysis nurse, she is committed to teaching patients how to safely and effectively perform the treatment. She also goes the extra mile to support her patients' needs inside and out of the dialysis center. Earlier this year, a patient in her care was experiencing deteriorating vision but could not afford glasses. Upon learning this, Nicole scoured the community to find low-cost eye care options. She shared her findings with the patient, who was then fitted with a new pair of glasses and given back the gift of sight.

Cindy Johnson

In Eastern Kentucky, Cindy Johnson is known for managing difficult situations tactfully and gracefully. She devotes her days to caring for DaVita patients who, without her support, may otherwise not have the opportunity to receive dialysis at home. By leading with compassion, Cindy meets patients where they are. No barrier is too great. In caring for a patient who struggled to read, she took time to teach him to perform dialysis at home on his own. Cindy never makes her patients feel inadequate. Instead, her solutions-oriented mindset uplifts and empowers them.

Irene Banks

Irene Banks is a nurse in Little Rock, Arkansas, at a high acuity center, where the patients she cares for receive specialized attention due to the medical complexity of their care needs. Irene is creative and compassionate in the way she cares for her patients. For one patient who experiences cognitive delays, she has offered activities, such as math worksheets and crossword puzzles, during treatment to help support an improved care experience. Irene continually goes above and beyond to help patients in her care feel comfortable and welcome.

No matter the treatment environment, DaVita nurses create special connections with their patients. DaVita is honored to present the DAISY Award to nurses across the nation. Visit davitaforward.com/difference for more inspiring DaVita care stories, and see below for more of this year's honorees:

• Cindy J. – Jenkins, KY
• Crystal R. – Victoria, TX
• Nicole M. – Wauwatosa, WI
• Kelly H. – Elmira, NY
• Debra L. – Champaign, IL
• Raquel Murua-S – Fort Wayne, IN
• Jeremy B. – Atwater, CA
• Irene B. – Little Rock, AR
• Caressa H. – Weaverville, NC
• Irene V. – Renton, WA
• Kaye A. – Eatontown, NJ
• Shoua L. – Marysville, CA
• Victoria C. – Jacksonville, NC
• Paul F. – Hainesport, NJ
• Angely O. – Ruskin, FL
• Gurloveleen S. – Fresno, CA
• Briana B. – Lewiston, PA
• Raheem J. – Clinton, SC
• Clyde W. – Metairie, LA
• Ryan D. – Nashua, NH
• Kristi B. – Chicago Ridge, IL
• Conswelo S. – Boaz, AL
• Connie C. – Tempe, AZ
• Lindsay G. – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Keri W. – Omaha, NE
• Angie U. – Riverside, CA
• Katie B. – Manassas, VA
• Diane B. – Brighton, MI
• Jeffrey S. – Troy, OH
• Linda S. – Farmington, NM
• Abigail H. – Salem, OR
• Stephanie A. – Milford, CT
• Kyung Mo K. – Los Angeles, CA
• Michael S. – Coppell, TX
• Vanessa C. – Harrisonburg, VA
• Rachiratou T. – O'Fallon, IL
• Edgardo Y. – Orlando, FL
• Elizabeth H. – Athens, OH
• Marianne M. – Alpena, MI
• Sarah H. – St. Louis, MO
• Tina C. – Milton, FL
• Susan H. – Fairfield, OH
• Laressa B. – Dilworth, MN
• Bryan J. – Orlando, FL
• Maria R. – Midland, TX
• Tami V. – Hastings, NE
• Demijohn B. – Houston, TX
• Samantha R. – Dumas, TX
• Lucy L. – Jamaica, NY
• Fancynelle J. – Shreveport, LA
• Shelby B. – Greensboro, GA
• Angel N. – Santa Maria, CA
• Amy M. – Ripley, TN
• Nicole W. – San Diego, CA
• Khristine D. – Las Vegas, NV
• Hiyasmin H. – Easton, MD