06/18/2026
FMOL Health | St. Dominic is proud to recognize Thomas Pennell, RN, Cardiovascular ICU, as our most recent DAISY Award recipient. The DAISY Award is an international program that celebrates nurses who provide exceptional, compassionate care — and Thomas exemplifies that standard in every way.
Thomas was nominated by a grateful family member who experienced his extraordinary presence during one of life’s most difficult moments when her father was admitted for a devastating diagnosis.
“As a nursing student, I often find comfort in understanding the why behind patient care,” the nominator said. “Thomas recognized that in me immediately. He took the time to explain my father’s condition in a way that was clear, honest, and compassionate — never overwhelming but never minimizing the seriousness of the situation. He struck a balance that I didn’t even know was possible: helping me understand the gravity of my father’s condition while still protecting me as a daughter in that moment. Thomas became more than just my father’s nurse. He became a steady, reassuring presence for our entire family. He treated my father with dignity and kindness, and he treated us as if we mattered just as much.”
Although her father’s outcome was not what the family had hoped for, she shared that Thomas’s compassion shaped her own calling as a future nurse. “In a moment where everything felt out of control, Thomas gave me something to hold onto: compassion, presence, and genuine human connection,” she said. “I strive to become the kind of nurse that Thomas Pennell is — clinically skilled, deeply compassionate, and unwaveringly present.”
Thomas’s dedication, empathy, and professionalism reflect the very heart of our mission. Please join us in thanking Thomas for the extraordinary care he provides to patients and families every day.
If you would like to recognize an exceptional nurse, you can submit a nomination for the DAISY Award here: https://bit.ly/470BV1R
