NMMC Presents DAISY Award to Criddle

Presenting Taylor Criddle (center) of the Critical Care Unit with NMMC’s most recent DAISY Award are (from left) Kristen Long, senior director of nursing; Donna Pritchard, chief nursing executive; Alicia Gardner, 3 West nurse manager; and David Wilson, president.

TUPELO, Miss.—North Mississippi Medical Center has awarded its most recent DAISY Award to registered nurse Taylor Criddle of 3 West.

Criddle was nominated by a coworker for an act of kindness toward a patient who had been in the hospital three weeks and on a ventilator most of that time. “This led to extremely matted hair that would have had to be cut off or shaved had Taylor not stepped in,” the nomination states. “Taylor took extra time during her night shift to meticulously wash and detangle the patient’s matted hair.”

“Taylor’s caring spirit and loving nature saved this patient’s hair, along with her confidence and self-esteem,” the coworker continued. “The patient felt all dolled up when her husband arrived the following morning, and day shift staff could barely recognize the patient.”

The patient’s husband was extremely grateful for such a caring act and said his wife had really shown improvement since receiving Criddle’s “spa treatment.”

A Vardaman resident, Criddle joined the NMMC staff in 2016 as a certified nursing assistant in the Critical Care Unit and worked with cancer patients during her externship in 2018. She earned her associate degree from Itawamba Community College in 2019 and transferred to 3 West as a registered nurse.

Criddle received a certificate, a DAISY Award pin, a bouquet donated by Bishop’s Flower Shop and a hand-carved stone sculpture titled A Healer’s Touch.

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.