Three Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center ER nurses receive DAISY Award recognition

Three nurses in the emergency department at Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center were presented with the DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses.  

Kiara Driggs, RN, Amanda Shumate, RN, and Matthew Leslie, RN, were each awarded after being nominated by the family member of a patient. This is the second time nurses from the emergency department have received the DAISY Award. 

The trio received a heartfelt nomination from a family member of a young patient who came into the ER in the middle of the night. The nomination praised each nurse for their patience and their kindness towards the scared patient. “This amazing team of nurses showed [my daughter] that they were here to help her. They were all so kind to her. They took their time and made her feel safe.” 

“Nurses are angels, and my daughter got the best ones. The kindness and love they showed will live in my heart forever, and thank you is not enough. Not only did these nurses care for my daughter, they brought peace and joy to a mother’s heart.” 

“What Kiara, Amanda, and Matthew were able to do for the patient and her family is something you cannot teach in a classroom,” said Kris O’Shea, Chief Nursing Officer, praising the remarkable kindness and care of the nurses. “Their abilities to not only care for the patient’s physical needs, but also their mental and emotional needs truly amplify what it means to be an extraordinary nurse. We’re delighted to award the group for their kindness and dedication to treating patients in every way.” 

Driggs received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2019 and began her nursing career at Conemaugh in 2021. 

Shumate holds more than 9 years of experience as an ER nurse. She received her Associate Degree in Nursing from Westmoreland County Community College in 2014, and recently earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2023 from Capella University before joining the Conemaugh team in September 2023. 

Leslie received his nursing degree from Conemaugh School of Nursing in 2011 and began his career at Conemaugh in July of the same year. He continued his education at Mount Aloysius College where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2016. 

Conemaugh Health System adopted the DAISY Award, an international program to recognize the outstanding work of our nurses across the health system in 2023. Coworkers, providers, and patients may nominate a deserving nurse at Conemaugh Health System at Conemaugh.org/The-DAISY-Award.  

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation 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. For more information about the DAISY Award, visit TheDAISYFoundation.org.