08/19/2026
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of surprising six incredible employees as our latest GEM and Daisy Award recipients!
These team members went above and beyond during a challenging situation involving a newborn who required specialized care and stabilization. Due to weather, the baby was unable to be transported to a NICU and remained at Spencer Hospital overnight. Their teamwork, compassion, flexibility, and clinical expertise made a lasting impact on the patient, family, and their coworkers.
Our Daisy Award recipients were Bryn Goettsch and Kaley Rosenboom from the Birth Center, and Sam Norton from the ICU. Bryn provided exceptional care throughout the night, closely monitoring the baby and assisting with procedures, medications, labs, X-rays, and intubation. With guidance from the eNICU team, she also administered a medication she had never given before, remaining calm and focused on what the baby needed. Kaley helped keep the Birth Center running smoothly, ensuring other patients continued to receive excellent care while supporting her coworkers through the stressful situation. Sam stepped outside her usual ICU role to support the Birth Center, adapting quickly and confidently to whatever the team needed.
Our GEM Award recipients were Meghan Spears from Respiratory Therapy, Amy Essick from Diagnostic Imaging, and Dale Larson from Ambulance Services. Meghan provided continuous respiratory care and remained at the baby's bedside throughout the night, even when the Emergency Department was busy. The baby's mother shared how much it meant that Meghan reassured her that her baby would be okay and later checked on the family before leaving. Amy was called in as the on-call X-ray technologist but stayed to support the team in additional ways, documenting care and stepping in wherever she was needed. Dale responded on short notice and stayed until nearly 4 a.m., working alongside Meghan to manage the ventilator, administer surfactant, and coordinate with the Avera NICU team as they worked through complex respiratory interventions.
We are incredibly grateful for these six team members and the dedication, teamwork, and exceptional care they demonstrated when their patients needed them most. Thank you for going above and beyond!
