Baptist Health Paducah names Sarah Stokes, RN, DAISY Award recipient

PADUCAH, KY (May 7, 2026) – Sarah Stokes, RN, has been named Baptist Health Paducah's most recent DAISY Award recipient. Stokes is a nurse on 3A. The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care given by nurses every day.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was created in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at 33 of ITP, an auto-immune disease. The Barnes Family was awestruck by the clinical skills, caring and compassion of the nurses who cared for Patrick, so they created this international award to say thank you to nurses everywhere.

As a DAISY Award Hospital Partner, Baptist Health Paducah recognizes one nurse with this special honor quarterly.

Below is the nomination submitted in Sarah’s honor:

“On January 22, 2026, my dad had cancer removed from his bladder. He came home the same day as the surgery but began bleeding from the surgical site and had to be rushed by ambulance in the middle of a snowstorm. He required a second surgery to remove a grapefruit-sized blood clot, and his bladder had to be irrigated with many bags of fluid, with constant vigilance to keep the bags empty. 

Sarah came to work regardless of the weather. She was alert, cheerful, helpful, and very compassionate. She was always Johnny-on-the-spot, even though there was a shortage of staff due to the storm. Sarah went out of her way to care for our dad. My mother, who is also elderly and has a broken back, stayed by his side and could not walk to go eat. While my mom was under Sarah's care, Sarah assisted her with a wheelchair and pushed her to the cafeteria and back during her shift. 

Sarah is a fine example of what a nurse should be like, even in emergent events and during staff shortages caused by severe weather. She showed the utmost compassion for her patient. I feel she is one of those who is at her best when things are at their worst, and she deserves recognition. Thank you for your kindness and compassionate heart.”

To nominate a nurse for the DAISY Award, visit this online form. 

To learn more about career opportunities at Baptist Health Paducah, visit BaptistHealth.com/Careers.