‘The Strength in the Room’: ICU Nurse Honored with DAISY Award

After 30 years of compassionate service at Beaufort Memorial, ICU nurse Candice “Candy” Chappell, BSN, RN, has earned one of the nursing profession’s most meaningful and prestigious honors – the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

On Feb. 26, friends, family, nursing leaders and colleagues gathered in the Beaufort Memorial Hospital Progressive Care Unit (PCU), standing shoulder to shoulder to surprise the veteran caregiver with the prestigious honor dedicated to recognizing exceptional nurses.

“Exceptional” is only one word that describes Chappell, said Angela Boswell, who submitted one of the two nominations for the seasoned ICU nurse.

Critical Care, Critical Empathy

During her time at Beaufort Memorial, Chappell has cared for countless patients and their families, offering steadiness in some of their most vulnerable, emotional moments.

In December, Chappell cared for a patient, Wendy, whose brief stay in the ICU brought family members and friends to the bedside – something that Chappell handled with grace, said Wendy’s sister, Lynn Chambers of Chattanooga, Tenn.

“She was so welcoming, so inviting, so informative and so supportive. Candy was so adept at keeping us all balanced,” Chambers recalled. “She handled us as much as she handled my sister, and she did it without making us feel like a burden.”

Boswell, Wendy’s best friend, said that Chappell navigated the experience seamlessly from beginning to end, delivering hard news softly but directly, being truthful yet empathetic, offering the room steadiness and strength throughout Wendy’s stay.

Wendy passed away on her third day in the ICU.

“Candy always spoke to Wendy first, never speaking around her, preserving her dignity in that critical care setting,” Boswell said. “To Candy, I want to say thank you for treating my best friend like she mattered – because she did. Thank you for being the strength in the room when we needed it most.”

Going Above and Beyond

Chappell’s care for Wendy and her family extended beyond her deep empathy.

After Wendy underwent a difficult surgery on her second day in the ICU, Chappell stayed past her shift to monitor her condition. When the family returned early the next morning, Chambers said, Chappell was already there.

“She told us that she’d gone home and slept for a little bit, but she was so concerned that she had to come back,” Chambers said. “It was her job, yes, but you could tell it was so much more than that.”

Boswell called Chappell “the relentless caregiver,” not simply treating her patient, but adopting a mission and giving the one thing that a nurse barely has: her own time.

“By staying past her shift, she bridged the gap between clinical duty and genuine devotion,” she said. “That decision wasn’t just a display of her work ethic, but it was a testament to her profound heart.”

Awarding Excellence

During the tearful surprise ceremony, Chappell received the DAISY Award and its symbolic bouquet of daisies, which represent the pure spirit of nursing.

Beaufort Memorial Critical Care Director Colleen Duerr, MBA, BSN, RN, said that the impact Chappell has reaches not just to her patients, but to her entire team. The DAISY Award is the third in Chappell’s “trifecta” – she was honored in 2023 with both a “Bemmy” award as “Community Champion of the Year” and a “You Shine Through” award for her commitment to going above and beyond in nursing at Beaufort Memorial.

“You are an exceptional nurse. You’re loved by everybody – not just your patients, but your team members, too,” Duerr said to Chappell at the ceremony. “I wish there were more ‘Candys,’ because life would be a lot better.”