NMMC Honors Watkins with DAISY Award

TUPELO, Mississippi—North Mississippi Medical Center presented its most recent DAISY Award to registered nurse Taquitta Watkins of 6 South.

A new nurse who was training alongside Watkins nominated her because her extraordinary care led doctors to uncover a patient’s serious medical condition. The patient had been admitted for another condition, but when Watkins performed her thorough head-to-toe assessment, she became concerned. “She asked the patient if he had a cardiac history. He stated no,” the nurse wrote. “Taquitta was worried about this patient and spoke to the doctor about particularly focusing on this patient’s heart.”

The doctor ordered cardiac testing and discovered a defect that required surgery. “I was proud of Taquitta’s assessment and concern about this patient,” she wrote. “He was not admitted for cardiac issues. She caught a problem while he was in a place where he could be helped.”

Watkins lives in Prairie and joined the NMMC staff in 2014. An Aberdeen High School graduate, she earned an associate degree in nursing from Itawamba Community College in 2014 and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Mississippi University for Women in 2018.

Watkins 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.