Monmouth Medical Center ‘COVID Unit’ Nurse Honored with Nursing Excellence Award

Long Branch – A Monmouth Medical Center medical-surgical nurse who is praised as a natural leader has been honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. In nominating Yve Massre, BSN, RN-BC a bedside nurse on Monmouth’s Greenwall 5 inpatient unit, the hospital’s first COVID-19-designated unit, her colleagues praised her as “a bright light amidst the darkness of the pandemic.”

“During the pandemic, Yve acknowledged the basic human connection rooted in sight and how the pandemic’s necessary PPE robbed patients of that experience,” her colleagues shared. “To circumvent this issue and provide that mind and body connection, she brought in a photo of herself, so that her patients could see her face. It was a humanizing action—something that seemed so simple, but provided the patients comfort, amidst a sea of faceless faces under masks.”

For her nomination, Yve was additionally recognized for the following:

Yve consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty, making everyone around her feel special and safe, through her genuine and caring nature. This attribute was highlighted during the first wave of COVID-19 in March 2020. At the crest of the first wave, despite the enormity and uncertainty of what they were facing, Yve was the anchor of Greenwall 5—the solid ground where the team found sturdy footing. The positivity and confidence that she bestowed upon each staff member was striking—a bright light amid the darkness of the pandemic. In addition to offering a kind word and refuge to the team, Yve would also ease the stress on the unit by gracing the team with cheerfully decorated baked goods that she would make herself, even after a long and stressful workday. She is always thinking of others’ happiness above her own.

DAISY Award winner Yve Massre is pictured at right with, from left, Lauren Fleming, Magnet Program Director, and Regional Chief Nursing Officer Diann Johnston.

This past year had been so challenging for everyone, especially during the holidays. In true form, however, Yve brought in a handmade, personalized gift for each member of the Greenwall 5 team. This gesture was in addition to the personalized “COVID-19” badges that she bought all the staff members to signify the end of the first wave and their official transition from team to family—a mark of solidarity, survival, and strength to wear proudly next to their hearts.

Yve shows the same care and compassion to all her patients, as she does to the Greenwall 5 staff. She brought in games and cards for the unit’s very lonely and scared COVID-19 patients. She also brought in presents for her patients when she voluntary worked on Christmas, as well as a meal and dessert for her co-workers who were also working on the holiday. She went as far as to ask a family member what a particular patient’s favorite meal might be, and on her day off, she brought in a steak dinner for that very patient whom she recognized was struggling.

Yve is very astute in recognizing the needs of others. Her patients have expressed true gratitude for her excellent and exemplary nursing care. She has excellent clinical skills and achievement. Staff looks to her when she is in a leadership role, as she leads by example and is always available to offer assistance and education when needed. She is always taking on the role of a nurse champion by constantly implementing new initiatives and projects, educating staff on the processes, and following through with operationalization. As a true role model, she champions safe practices through Monmouth Medical Center’s High Reliability Organization (HRO) culture and encourages others with her positive standards.

“Yve always makes others feel exceptional,” said Regional Chief Nursing Officer Diann Johnston, MSN, RN, NEA-BC. “A DAISY Nurse is a very special nurse —it is about more than just being recognized for a good deed, or for being nice. A DAISY Nurse operates on a different level, day in and day out, and Yve exemplifies this level of nursing; she is undeniably a nurse of true character and kindness.”

DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The DAISY Foundation was formed by the family of Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an auto-immune disease. His widow, Tena, (a DAISY Co-founder) created the acronym, and the Foundation and established the DAISY Recognition Program to honor the super-human work nurses do every day at the bedside.