5 Purdue Global nursing students honored for nursing excellence with annual DAISY Award

A summer EMT course she took while an undergraduate helped her realize that nursing was her calling. 

That commitment to her patients, colleagues and community is why Koehler was named as one of five Purdue Global recipients of The DAISY Award in 2024.

The awards were presented to recipients May 21 during an online reception. 

In addition to Koehler, this year’s Purdue Global recipients also included:

• Julie McShane of Chula Vista, California — RN-to-BSN program
• Diana Silva of Newberry, Florida — Master of Science in Nursing, nurse practitioner tracks
• Kimberly Marin of Bensenville, Illinois — Master of Science in Nursing, nurse practitioner tracks
• Alec Britten of Bellevue, Nebraska — Associate of Science in Nursing

Koehler, of West Lafayette, Indiana, is working on her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Purdue Global and is grateful for The DAISY Award. 

“Receiving this award means the care and compassion I have shown in my 10-plus years of nursing, as well as my passion for nursing education, is being recognized. I have always practiced medicine in the way of treating others as I would want myself and my family to be treated,” Koehler said. “My passion for nursing education stems from having wonderful professors in my undergraduate coursework. They taught me that what I put into my education is what I will receive in return, and I continue this practice today.”

Koehler works for Premise Health at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) Occupational Health Medical Clinic in Lafayette, Indiana. She has worked in emergency, family and occupational medicine. She has a passion for teaching, serving as a preceptor for new nurses and nurse practitioners. Her goal following graduation is to work in an academic setting, while improving processes and policies in health care settings, such as occupational health. 

“The best part of being a nurse is the impact we can have on the lives of others. I do not take this part of nursing lightly and hope to leave every interaction I have in a positive light,” Koehler said.

Melissa Burdi, vice president and dean of Purdue Global’s School of Nursing, said that this year’s recipients reflected the spirit of nursing — going above and beyond in providing extraordinary care and support to their patients.

“We are thrilled with this year’s DAISY Award winners, who come from a variety of nursing backgrounds and deliver quality and compassionate care to all they come in contact with,” Burdi said. “They are selfless in serving their patients, showing acts of kindness to families who are stressed about their situation, as well as improving their communities.”

Purdue Global nursing students, faculty, staff and community leaders are encouraged to nominate students for The DAISY Award. Additional information and criteria can be found on The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students website.

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation was created in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes to express gratitude to nurses for the care and compassion their family experienced during his illness and at the end of his life. Barnes died in 1999 from the autoimmune disease ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura). DAISY is an evidence-based form of meaningful recognition that can positively impact many aspects of a healthy work environment, including job satisfaction, retention, well-being, resilience, the patient/family experience and community loyalty. Over 6,000 health care organizations and nursing schools participate worldwide, and more than 200,000 nurses have been honored. 

About Purdue Global

Purdue Global is Purdue’s online university for working adults who have life experience and often some college credits. It offers flexible paths for students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, military service and previous college credits, no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and backed by Purdue University. For more information, visit https://www.purdueglobal.edu.