NMCRS Guam Visiting Nurse, Rebecca Prasad, BSN, RN, CLC, was honored with The DAISY Award® For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's efforts to recognize the incredible work that nurses perform every day. Rebecca was presented with her award as part of the Society’s celebrations during National Nurses Week.
"I am surprised and honored to receive the Daisy Award for 2023. Thank you, Rosemary Perdue, Judy Perry, and Headquarters, for incorporating this award into our program. We have a phenomenal group of nurses and I am so privileged to work with each of you. Congratulations to all the nominees this year. You are each genuinely amazing. Special shout out to our Westpac team. I am also blessed to have a wonderful, knowledgeable director who is always willing to assist, listen, and help as I navigate the best way to serve our local community. As I mentioned during the ceremony, I was just doing what I was called to do. I am so grateful for the acknowledgment and the privilege of working for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society as a Visiting Nurse. Thank you again for this recognition."
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View Rebecca's video testimonial on being selected on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/r9oD2dbcH0Y
This year marked the first time that NMCRS participated in this award program. “When I started at NMCRS, I knew the DAISY program would be a perfect fit to honor the extraordinary care our visiting nurses provide,” said Rosemary Perdue, MSN, RN, Capt., Nurse Corps, USN (Ret.) Director of the Visiting Nurse Program.
During the Daisy Award nomination process, stories and testimonials were collected from NMCRS Visiting Nurse clients, and a committee was formed to pick the awardee. The committee anonymously selected the client’s story based on its impact.
The selected nomination submitted read:
“My daughter was a week old, and I struggled to get her to latch when breastfeeding. I sought help on a Facebook page and came across the NMCRS Visiting Nurse program, specifically Rebecca Prasad, BSN, RN, CLC. Many women on the Facebook page vouched for her, so I scheduled a home visit to have her help me with breastfeeding.
The moment Rebecca saw my baby, she urged me to bring her to the hospital because of her deep yellow skin tone and suspected a severe case of jaundice. That same day, I took my daughter to the hospital, and she was diagnosed with jaundice. My baby was admitted to the hospital, and I had the hardest time of my life. Due to COVID safety protocols, I was the only one allowed to be with my baby during her hospitalization, my husband was not allowed to help me, and I was only one week postpartum.
The doctors gave me a hard time, saying I could only formula-feed my baby when I planned to breastfeed exclusively. I was messaging the nurse the whole time about my situation and struggles. Not only did she save my daughter’s life from jaundice, but she also helped me get my baby to latch. She was a lifesaver for my baby and me. She would even reply to my messages at midnight. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her. I’m so thankful and grateful to have met such an amazing nurse!”
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Navy and Marine Corps active duty, retirees, and their family members can rely on our visiting nurses to provide health education and answer their wellness questions. The visiting nurse’s health education is tailored to the military community’s unique challenges.
NMCRS is honored to have dedicated visiting nurses who make a difference in the lives of Sea Service families daily.