The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses recognizes exceptional nurses who provide skillful and compassionate care – those who go above and beyond for their patients and families. Hurley Nurse Heather Minor, RN BSA embodies everything this award symbolizes. Her nomination reads:
“My mom was admitted to Hurley after her white blood cell count dropped due to chemotherapy treatments. She developed an infection and issues with her throat, making it difficult for her to communicate. She was transferred to 5E, where Heather became one of her nurses. Watching a nurse care for your mom as if she were her own mom was so special. Heather provided touch therapy and added a humidifier to help with her comfort. She also took the time to figure out which positions my mom was most comfortable in and made sure to communicate that to the oncoming nurses. The extra comfort measures were greatly appreciated, but unfortunately, my mom’s condition quickly declined. Throughout everything, Heather was respectful and responsive to both my mom’s needs and those of our family. She has a special way about her – something you can’t teach in school or training. The hardest day of my life was made a little easier knowing my mom had such a caring nurse by her side.”
“The team is the reason this is the place for me. We are one big family making sure we all make it through the day.”
Heather’s passion for caregiving began when she worked as a certified nursing assistant while attending college. It was during that time that she realized she wanted to become a nurse. “I fell in love with taking care of people and believe in giving them the care I would want for my own family,” Heather shared. That philosophy has shaped her career ever since.
Heather was assigned to Hurley’s 5 East unit and knew immediately that it was where she belonged. 5 East is a unit that cares for patients with trauma, brain or spinal injuries, burns and many other medical conditions. “There are so many positive aspects of working on 5 East, but at the same time, it can be emotionally demanding,” she said. “Caring for trauma patients can be difficult. Caring for burn patients can be especially hard, because their injuries can be excruciatingly painful. But watching their progress and improvement, and being there to support both the patient and their family, is beyond rewarding.”
Heather continued, “Our unit requires us to manage many different types of caregiving roles. We don’t just provide medical care – we do everything from administering medications, drawing blood, changing dressings and bathing patients, to providing education and emotional support for both the patient and their loved ones. I love my unit. It’s an amazing place. The team is the reason this is the place for me. We are one big family making sure we all make it through the day. It all starts with our Manager, Kim Lipka. She is a wonderful person who pours herself into her work and her team.”
Photo by Doug Pike
Heather had no idea she had been nominated for the DAISY Award. “I’ll never forget this patient and her story, and it means so much that the family took the time to nominate me,” she said. “I was genuinely moved to tears. This patient and her family truly touched me.”
She also shared her own personal tragedy – the recent loss of her younger brother in a motorcycle accident. With emotion, she described him as her best friend and expressed how much she misses him. She described him as selfless, someone who would do anything for anyone in need, and always the funniest person in the room. Heather says the memory of her brother helps guide her through difficult days, remembering that he would have made any day a good day, regardless of any struggles.
Heather grew up with all brothers: in addition to one who was just a year younger, she also has a brother five years older and another six years older. She has four boys of her own, ages 14, 10, 8 and 4. We shared stories about growing up with boys and then raising a house full of them. She also has two dogs – a Cavapoo and a Chihuahua.
Once again, Heather expressed deep gratitude for her 5E team and her family. Her favorite way to spend free time? Simply being with them.
