ICU Nurse Wins DAISY Award for His Gentle Spirit

Losing a loved one is never easy. But having an empathetic nurse on hand can make it that much easier to say goodbye. Grayson Moss, an ICU nurse at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Georgia, recently found out how much of a difference his presence can make when a woman nominated him for the DAISY Award, a special honor from the DAISY Foundation for nurses who go above and beyond the demands of the job. The woman was at the hospital during her aunt’s final days when she noticed Moss’s soothing demeanor.

“It’s never easy to lose a family member,” wrote in the nominating letter. “This is my first time having to go through seeing someone decline and give permission to unhook machines. This nurse will never know how much his kindness meant.”

“His pop-ins answer questions in gentle, kind ways,” she continued. “I’m a wreck as I write this, and I know in just a few minutes he will pop in and check on my family member and me. I’m pretty quiet and reserved and he instantly saw both my aunt’s and my needs. I won’t forget how much easier he made this. I truly have no words that can show just how much he helped and cared. Thank you.”

Moss was awarded the medal during a ceremony at the hospital on Tuesday. He received the “Healer’s Touch” statue, which is hand-carved for the DAISY Foundation by members of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

Moss started working at the facility as a nurse technician while he was still in nursing school. He recently joined the ICU team full-time after graduating last May.

“It’s something I really always wanted to do,” Moss said about going into the medical field. “I’ve felt a calling toward helping others. That has always given me the most joy. A lot of times, especially where we work (in the ICU), you do not see the best of outcomes. That is why I always try to walk in with a smile on my face and affect someone in a positive way.”