Founded by the Barnes family, the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Educators provides international recognition and appreciation to nursing faculty for their commitment and inspirational influence on their students. This year’s recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Educators goes to Nina Williams, DNP, MSN-NE, RN, clinical assistant professor at the School of Nursing.
After receiving her BSN from Winston-Salem State University, Dr. Williams completed a Masters in Nursing Science in Nursing Education from East Carolina University and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from Gardner-Webb University. Her clinical expertise lies in the care of women health and neonatal health.
Many nurses talk about “hearing an instructor’s voice” in their ears, even years after they have graduated. This happens when teachers provide the instructions that are not only relevant and accurate but most importantly meaningful and often life-changing….
Dr. Williams teaches in the prelicensure program for which she receives annual recognition by her students for her teaching both in the clinical setting and in the simulation laboratory. In addition to teaching, Dr. Williams currently serves as the Clinical Coordinator for the School’s Prelicensure BSN Program. She is an active member of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses and in 2021, was the recipient of their Nurse Leader of the Year Award.
Testimonials from faculty and students demonstrate Dr. Williams’ steadfast embodiment of the School of Nursing’s values of integrity, excellence, caring, and service. Specifically, they note that Dr. Williams (1) approaches teaching with genuine compassion and care, (2) finds innovative ways to present complex information in a manner that is both easy to comprehend and remember, (3) serves as an advocate and mentor for her team members, and (4) possessing an unwavering commitment to the well-being of her students and nursing community.
The impact that Dr. William has had on her students can be summed up in this one statement… “Knowing that Dr. Williams genuinely cares about our learning motivates us to persevere, even when the coursework feels overwhelming. I'm gaining valuable knowledge this semester, and I deeply appreciate the safe-haven of her classroom and her lectures. She's truly remarkable."
The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 of an autoimmune disease. The Barnes family was awestruck by the clinical skills and compassion of the nurses who cared for Patrick, so they created this award to thank nurses everywhere.
Do you know of a full-time UNCW School of Nursing faculty member who is a registered nurse that also reflects excellence in teaching? Please consider nominating that person for next year’s DAISY Award.
This article has the following tags: College of Health & Human Services School of Nursing Accomplishments