Chen Receives DAISY Award

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. The School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington is proud to announce that this year's DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Educators goes to Yea-Jyh Chen, RN, Ph.D., associate professor.  

After receiving her BSN from Chung Shan Medical-Dental College in Taiwan, Dr. Chen completed a Master of Science in Nursing in Critical Care Nursing and a Doctor of Science in Nursing from Case Western Reserve University. Her research focuses on the use of Reiki and other forms of spiritual care. She is a certified Advanced-Level II Bio-Well Expert and active member of both the Center for Reiki Research and the American Holistic Nurses Association. She serves on the editorial board for the Annals of Nursing Research and Practice and the International Journal of Nursing and Clinical Practice. 

Dr. Chen teaches courses on statistics, complementary and alternative therapies, as well as health equity for both our prelicensure and DNP programs. With her expertise in statistics and intervention science, she serves as a research mentor for undergraduate and graduate students, both in nursing as well as other disciplines. At her side, her students are given the opportunity to successfully seek funding, conduct, present, and publish their research.   

Testimonials from her students demonstrate Dr. Chen’s unwavering support and dedication to teaching in a manner that makes students feel fully supported while ensuring the product of the work is of the highest standard. Specifically, Dr. Chen (1) instills confidence and a desire for her students to become scholars, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners, (2) is open and receptive to students’ ideas and concerns, (3) supports her students holistically as they balance multiple, often competing roles and (4) provides a safe space to work alongside her, while at the same time, challenging them to think critically and to aim high.

Dr. Chen’s impact on her students can be summed up in this one statement, "Dr. Chen’s mentorship has instilled in me the confidence to take on advanced academic and professional challenges, including conference presentations and graduate school applications. She is a role model for professionalism, leadership, and lifelong learning—qualities I hope to embody in my nursing career.”