TUPELO, Mississippi—North Mississippi Medical Center has awarded its most recent DAISY Award to Wanda Turner, and the BEE (Beyond Exceptional Expectations) Award to Ginger Timms.

Turner is a registered nurse with the Rehabilitation Institute/1 West, where Timms works as a restorative care technician. They were nominated by the daughter of a stroke patient. “He was fine when he was transferred to 1 West the night before. During the day, his condition worsened,” the patient’s daughter wrote. “He could not stand, speak or participate in any therapy.” It was determined that the patient had an electrolyte imbalance.

“When I got there and Daddy had recovered, he cried telling me how kind Wanda had been to him,” she wrote. “She never left his side, doted on him and cared for him like he was her family.”

Timms cared for her father numerous days during his rehabilitation stay. “She was always cheerful, engaging and interactive with him,” she wrote. “When he needed help with going to the restroom and bathing, she helped him while maintaining his dignity and not making him feel bad or like a burden for needing assistance.”

She also noted that Timms voluntarily washed her father’s clothes several times and was attentive to her needs as well. “She seems to be looking for ways and opportunities to help someone,” the daughter wrote.

Turner, who lives in Tremont, has worked for North Mississippi Health Services for 35 years. She joined NMMC’s Critical Care Unit staff in May 1986 after completing her associate degree in nursing from the former Itawamba Junior College in Fulton. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1999.

After five years in the Critical Care Unit, Turner transferred to the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory/Non-Invasive Cardiology. There she served as a supervisor and was instrumental in helping develop NMMC’s Heart and Vascular Institute. During her career, she also worked in the NMHS Education Department and served as director of education at NMMC-Hamilton (Alabama) before being named nursing supervisor at IMA-Tupelo. She worked in the Emergency Department before transferring to the Rehabilitation Institute 10 years ago.

Timms, who lives in Tupelo, decided to make a career change after working as a hairdresser for 36 years. She worked as a dialysis technician with Fresenius Medical Care for three years before joining the NMMC staff in July 2021.       

The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary compassionate and skillful care given by nurses every day. Nomination forms are available throughout NMMC or at www.nmhs.net/daisy-award. For more information, call (662) 377-3431 or email daisyawards@nmhs.net.

The BEE Award is also given to a deserving caregiver each month at NMMC. Nomination forms are available throughout NMMC or at www.nmhs.net/bee-award. For more information, call (662) 377-3431 or email BEEAwards@nmhs.net.