Altru Nurse Earns DAISY Award Recognition for Being the “Best in Her Profession”

Grand Forks, N.D. – Leanna Haugen, RN, a nurse at Altru Health System, is being honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care nurses provide patients and families every day.

“I was in the ER in early 2022 for vertigo,” shared the patient who nominated Leanna for the DAISY award. “Leanna was my nurse and treated my husband and me with such great care and attention and was so compassionate.”

The patient recognized there were certain qualities Leanna exemplified.

“She put me right at ease with her professionalism and expertise. She talked me through each step and made me feel comfortable immediately.”

The patient soon realized the impact Leanna was having on other patients as well.

“There was an older man on the other side of the curtain who was having a very hard time mentally with all that was going on with him. Leanna comforted him with such kind words,” revealed the nominator. “She has such a caring way about her.”

“Leanna exhibits the kindness, compassion and professionalism that is found in an exemplary nurse. Well done, Leanna. We are proud to have you on our team,” said Janice Hamscher, chief nursing officer at Altru.

Leanna has been a nurse with Altru since October 2021.

The patient concluded, “I had never met Leanna before, yet she treated me with such love and respect. She truly is in the best profession for her and for those of us who need a caring expert in her field!”

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known, but not uncommon, auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.