Alexandria “Ragan” Young, LPN
Alexandria “Ragan” Young, LPN, works at the Vanderbilt Integrated Internal Medicine Clinic in Tullahoma. She is one of the latest Vanderbilt Health DAISY Award winners.
From the nomination
“I am incredibly honored to nominate Ragan Young, for the DAISY Award. Extraordinary nurses possess a unique blend of sharp clinical intuition, rapid decision-making, and deep empathy.
“Ragan demonstrated these qualities perfectly, and her actions directly saved a patient’s life. The day began when a patient arrived at our clinic for a sick visit. The patient’s spouse came inside first, requesting physical assistance to help get the patient out of the vehicle. Ragan immediately grabbed a wheelchair and headed outside. When she reached the car, the spouse shared that the patient had been dealing with profound weakness, persistent nausea, elevated blood glucose levels at home, and worsening lethargy.
“Ragan immediately tuned into these red flags and began speaking directly with the patient to assess her neurological and physical status. Her clinical instincts instantly kicked in recognizing that this was not a standard clinic case and that this was a patient in acute distress who required immediate stabilization. She stayed by the patient’s side, providing a calm, reassuring presence while keeping her safe.
“The patient’s vital signs were highly abnormal. Ragan recognized the classic, terrifying intersection of an advanced infection and metabolic derangement and requested immediate intervention.
“While the clinic team called a detailed report over to the local Emergency Department to prepare them for arrival, Ragan focused on comforting the family. The patient was transferred to the emergency room, where Ragan’s catch was fully validated. Sepsis is a silent killer, and every single minute matters. She did not just wheel a patient inside; she actively assessed, advocated, and acted.
“Ragan Young exemplifies everything the DAISY Award stands for. She showed clinical excellence, a refusal to ignore subtle signs of deterioration, and a compassionate heart that reassured a frightened family during a medical crisis. She is a true credit to the nursing profession and a hero in our clinic.”
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.
