Jill Young, BSN, RN. (photo by Donn Jones)
Jill Young, BSN, RN, CPN, works in the Pediatric Surgery, Trauma, Adolescent Medicine unit at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. She is one of the latest Vanderbilt Health DAISY Award winners.
From the nomination
“I would like to nominate Jill for a DAISY Award for the extraordinary compassion, insight, and advocacy she provided to a patient we had been caring for over a long and difficult hospitalization. As the days went on, it became clear that this patient was beginning to lose more than just strength, she was losing hope. Subtle changes in her mood, motivation, and engagement signaled the early onset of depressive symptoms that were quietly but significantly preventing her from moving toward discharge. Jill noticed. And more importantly, she refused to look away.
“Instead of accepting these changes as inevitable, she slowed down, sat with the patient, listened, and truly saw her. She recognized this patient didn’t just need medical care, she needed someone to advocate for her emotional needs. Jill spoke up, pushed for additional support, and collaborated with me to ensure the patient’s emotional needs were addressed with the same urgency as her physical ones. Through patience, encouragement, and relentless advocacy, Jill helped make something happen that felt small on paper but was monumental in impact: we got the patient outside for the first time since the accident (40 days ago). After weeks confined to hospital walls, the patient felt fresh air, sunlight, and a sense of normalcy again. That moment changed everything!
“What makes Jill exceptional is not just her clinical expertise, but her deep humanity. She created safety in a space that had become isolating. She restored dignity when the patient felt defeated. Her advocacy changed the trajectory of this patient’s hospitalization, and her impact will stay with this patient and family long after discharge. This is not just the heart of nursing. This is the kind of care that changes lives.”
About DAISY Awards
The DAISY Award is a recognition for extraordinary nurses who exemplify compassion toward patients and families.
Vanderbilt Health distributes the award in partnership with The DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 1999 to honor the memory of J. Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old man who died of complications of the autoimmune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Barnes’ family was moved by the care they received from his nurses and wanted to recognize them to preserve his memory. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
Vanderbilt Health nurse committees determine the individual recipients. Previous recipients of the DAISY Award are here. The award is open to all licensed nurses, and anyone can nominate — including co-workers, patients and their families.
