Starr Regional Medical Center recognizes Nancy Austin with DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses

Starr Regional Medical Center announced today that Nancy Austin, LPN, has been named the third-quarter 2026 recipient of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The DAISY Award is an international recognition program that honors the exceptional care and compassion nurses provide to patients and families every day. Nominations may be submitted by anyone who experiences or observes extraordinary nursing care.

“It is an honor to recognize Nancy with The DAISY Award,” said Michelle Johnson, RN, MSN, chief nursing officer at Starr Regional Medical Center. “She embodies the compassion, empathy and commitment to patients that define extraordinary nursing. Nancy’s dedication to caring for others, especially during some of their most vulnerable moments, makes her incredibly deserving of this recognition.”

Austin cares for patients at Starr Regional Health & Rehabilitation, where her kindness, leadership and gentle spirit have made a lasting impression on patients and colleagues alike.

One of Austin’s coworkers shared the following in her nomination:

“Nancy is truly the best nurse at Starr Regional. She is kind and compassionate with her patients and CNAs.

“Recently, when one of her patients thought she was going to pass, she was scared, and Nancy stopped what she was doing, held her hand and prayed with her. She didn’t rush to leave her. She stayed and provided comfort. Nancy shows how selfless she is every day and does so quietly, not to get recognized, just because that’s who she is!

“She is so encouraging to her friends, CNAs and coworkers. If you need to talk, she will always lend an ear and offer advice. This summer when I told her I wanted to join the LPN program, she taught me all the math two weeks before the test and assured me that I could do it. I would not have passed without her!

“Next year when I graduate, I aspire to be a nurse as wonderful as Nancy.”

“What makes Nancy so special is the genuine care she shows everyone around her,” Johnson added. “Whether she is comforting a patient during a difficult moment or encouraging a colleague to pursue their goals, Nancy leads with compassion. We are incredibly fortunate to have her as part of the Starr Regional team.”

DAISY Award honorees are selected by a committee of nurses at Starr Regional Medical Center who carefully review each nomination. Recipients are surprised with the award during a presentation attended by colleagues, patients and visitors. Each recipient receives a certificate recognizing them as an “Extraordinary Nurse” and bearing the message: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees also receive “A Healer’s Touch,” a hand-carved sculpture created by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

The DAISY Foundation, a not-for-profit organization based in Glen Ellen, California, was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disease. The compassionate care Barnes and his family received inspired the creation of The DAISY Award as a way to recognize nurses who make a profound difference in the lives of their patients and families. Learn more at DAISYFoundation.org.

To nominate a nurse for The DAISY Award, forms are available in common areas and nursing units on Starr Regional Medical Center’s Athens and Etowah campuses, as well as online at StarrRegional.com/daisy-award. The program is open to nurses, including LPNs, RNs and nurse practitioners. Non-nursing team members who are nominated are recognized separately.