Purdue Global School of Nursing honors four students with DAISY Awards

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Nicole Claudin’s passion for nursing shows in everything she does.

Claudin, a 22-year nursing veteran who wanted to be a nurse since she was 7 years old, is one of four Purdue Global nursing students honored among the 2023 recipients of The DAISY Award®.

The award to the four students is the result of a partnership between Purdue Global’s School of Nursing and The DAISY Foundation™ to celebrate the extraordinary compassion nurses and nursing students provide their patients and families every day.

Claudin, of Farmington Hills, Michigan, is enrolled in Purdue Global’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Postgraduate Certificate program.

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“Nursing is truly a work of the heart, and I strive each day to give back to what was offered to me,” Claudin said. “I am grateful to be a student at Purdue Global, as the support they have provided me has made my dream of becoming a nurse practitioner a reality. Nursing is a wonderful profession where we get the opportunity to take care of individuals. It is truly an honor to be called a nurse, and beside being a wife and mother, it is one of my greatest accomplishments.”

This year’s recipients also included:

• Gabrielle Morgan, of Evansdale, Iowa. Morgan is a first-generation college student who is working on her Associate of Science in Nursing degree.
• Heather Weaver, of Meadowbrook, West Virginia. Weaver is a recent graduate of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Weaver is known for being outgoing, innovative and enthusiastic in her work in caring for patients, implementing interventions that improve the detection and management of hepatitis C.
• Daw Kyi, of Norwalk, California. Originally from Myanmar, Kyi came to the U.S. with the goal of being in the medical field. After volunteering at a hospital, she fell in love with nursing. She is working on her RN-to-BSN degree program.

“We are extremely proud of the work that our nursing students do – both in their coursework and also in the health care settings they serve,” said Melissa Burdi, dean and vice president of the Purdue Global School of Nursing. “This year’s DAISY recipients truly go above and beyond to care for patients while continuing their education journey.”

The students were honored during a virtual ceremony.

“It was a delight to participate in the recognition of both new and advanced nursing students who will address current and future challenges impacting our nation’s health, wellness and safety. DAISY is honored to partner with Purdue Global in honoring these outstanding examples of the future of nursing practice,” said Deb Zimmerman, CEO of The DAISY Foundation.

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation was created in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes to express gratitude to nurses for the care and compassion they experienced during his illness and at the end of his life. Barnes died in 1999 from the autoimmune disease ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura). DAISY is an evidence-based form of meaningful recognition that can positively impact many aspects of a healthy work environment, including job satisfaction, retention, well-being, resilience, the patient/family experience and community loyalty. Over 6,000 health care organizations and schools of nursing participate worldwide, and more than 200,000 nurses have been honored. 

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://stories.purdue.edu/purdue-global/.

Writer/Media contact: Matthew Oates, 765-496-6160, oatesw@purdue.edu; @mo_oates

Sources: Melissa Burdi, Deb Zimmerman