Penn College nursing student and professor receive DAISY Awards

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Pennsylvania College of Technology recently presented DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nursing to Nadine R. Lipinski, a student from Muncy, and Sherry L. Hyland, assistant professor of nursing.

Lipinski, who is pursuing an associate degree in nursing, was among 25 nominees for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students.

Lipinski’s nominator wrote of her “extraordinary compassion, empathy and advocacy” and an innate ability to emotionally connect with each patient.

“One moment that stands out was when she cared for a patient who was experiencing significant anxiety and an acute onset of severe pain,” the nominator wrote. Lipinski noticed the patient’s distress, immediately communicated her concerns with the nursing staff and her instructor, and continued to advocate for the patient. She also held the patient’s hand, kept the patient updated, and talked with the patient’s family until they felt more at ease.

“Nadine not only assisted in getting the patient prompt treatment, but she also made them feel like they weren’t just another name on a chart — that someone truly cared. That’s the kind of impact she has had and will continue to have in the medical community. … Her presence uplifts those around her, and she embodies the spirit of nursing in its truest form.”

Hyland, who has been part of the full-time faculty at Penn College since 2015, was among 19 nominees for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty.

“She is the cheerleader who keeps us going with her infectious smile, laugh and energy,” one of her nominators wrote. “I watch her with students and am inspired by the way she supports and encourages them all semester long. She knows how to build them up when they are down.”

“It felt like no matter what was going on, Sherry was there to make me feel like I was a priority,” another nominator wrote. “She is consistently empathetic, caring and compassionate about patient care and teaching students.”

The DAISY Awards are a project of The DAISY Foundation, a not-for-profit organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired the creation of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to recognize and thank nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

The foundation expanded the awards program to academic institutions in order to recognize the faculty who inspire compassionate care in their students and the students who demonstrate it during their education.

Penn College presents one faculty award and two student awards each year during pre-commencement “pinning” ceremonies for graduating nursing students. The remaining 2025 student award will be presented at the fall ceremony.

Each honoree receives a certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch.”

To learn more about Penn College’s nursing degrees, call 570-327-4525 or visit www.pct.edu/nursing.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.