St. Joseph Medical Center names three DAISY Award recipients

Left photo: Diana Kloss, nurse at Penn State Health Urgent Care – Strausstown Middle photo: Annie Kue, nurse in the Emergency Department, with Ruth Sano, left, director of Critical Care and Emergency Services, and Jenna Mastromarino Riley, nurse manager in the Emergency Department Right photo: Bella Moyer, Critical Care nurse

St. Joseph Medical Center presented three DAISY Awards for Extraordinary Nurses from late December 2023 through April. The winners were:

• Bella Moyer, a critical care nurse
• Annie Kue, an Emergency Department nurse
• Diana Kloss, a nurse at Penn State Health Urgent Care – Strausstown

A patient in the Critical Care Unit nominated Moyer for her patience in explaining medical terms, procedures, medications and test results clearly.

“Bella helped calm our nerves when we were feeling anxious about our situation,” the patient wrote. “She also took time to walk and talk with me when I couldn’t sleep and my husband couldn’t be there.”

Karin Long, a nurse in the Emergency Department, nominated Kue for her steadfast professionalism and compassion. She highlighted the care of a patient who required intubation, explaining how Kue assessed the situation quickly and identified care priorities without stepping in the way of the primary nurse. Long also recognized her colleague’s compassion.

“Although the patient was sedated and on a ventilator, Annie tenderly spoke to her, called her by name, explained her care and even used her own hair tie to comb back and place the patient’s hair out of the way…providing dignity for her.”

Ann Stalnecker, the registered nurse clinical staff leader at Penn State Health Urgent Care – Strausstown, nominated Kloss for her actions after work. Kloss, still in uniform, was in a grocery store with her children when she heard an announcement asking for a medical professional to head to the deli department. An employee had experienced a seizure and hit their head on a counter. Using disposable gloves from the deli, Kloss was able to stop the employee’s bleeding and direct store staff to help with getting ice and calling 911.

“Diana was definitely a Penn State Health ambassador that day,” Stalnecker wrote. “She was covered in Penn State attire, and customers asked her where the closet Penn State Health location was.”

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