By: Erik Pedersen, Senior Communications Manager
BALTIMORE – A recent graduate from Notre Dame of Maryland University’s School of Nursing was presented with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in recognition of her dedication to providing compassionate and skillful care to patients.
Francesca Circosta ’22 was the January recipient of The DAISY Award at Augusta Health, a community hospital located within the Shenandoah Valley in Fisherville, Virginia. The DAISY Award is presented to nurses at over 5,400 healthcare facilities in the United States. Nurses can be nominated by anyone in the organization – patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians and staff – who experiences or observes extraordinary compassionate care.
Circosta, who works in the emergency department at Augusta Health, was nominated by one of her patients, who highlighted the outstanding, personalized care received during an especially crowded day in the ER.
“When I was able to get back to a bed, Francesca was so very compassionate and empathetic. Her bedside manner, humor, and empathy, I feel, contributed to me feeling better. I was not just another number. I was a person who needed care and attention, and Francesca made sure I had it.” – an excerpt from the nomination
Circosta began her role at Augusta Health in August 2022. She also remains actively involved with the School of Nursing, serving as a virtual peer tutor for NDMU’s Cultivating Academic Success, Responsibility, and Excellence (CARE) program. Circosta served as chapter president for the Omega Phi Alpha National Service Sorority and the Student Association of Nurses at Notre Dame during her time on campus.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
Julia Campagna, director of mission and ministry at NDMU, discusses both the history of All Saints' Day and how the holiday is recognized on campus in this USA TODAY feature article.
