NYC Health + Hospitals Honors Nursing Professionals Across Its Five Skilled Nursing Facilities for the DAISY Award & BEE Award Celebration
NYC Health + Hospitals Post-Acute Care Chief Nursing Officer Marian McNamara received the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award The DAISY Award recognizes nurses for their extraordinary patient and resident care; and the BEE Award recognizes ancillary nursing staff for their exceptional and essential role in care delivery All award recipients were nominated and selected by patients, residents, families, and colleagues
Sep 22, 2025
NYC Health + Hospitals celebrated its 4th Annual Post-Acute Care Nursing Awards, honoring 10 nursing professionals who have a profound impact on the lives of patients and residents across its five long-term care facilities. With over 180 nominations across the post-acute care service line, five registered nurses were honored for the internationally recognized DAISY Award, and five ancillary nursing staff were honored for the in-house BEE (Being Exceptional Everyday) Award. The DAISY Award, sponsored by the DAISY Foundation, is the international leader in nurse recognition. This award recognizes nurses or nurse-led teams who are experts in person-centered care, demonstrate integrity and compassion, and work collaboratively with their peers to achieve the best health outcomes for patients and residents. The BEE Award was established to recognize exceptional caregivers in supportive nursing roles including Certified Nursing Assistants, Patient Care Technicians, Patient Care Associates, and Medical Surgical Technicians. These individuals play an integral role on resident care teams, providing care that includes feeding, bathing, grooming, and taking vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature checks.
In addition, the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Marian McNamara, MSN, RN Chief Nursing Officer for NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care. Recipients of this award are nominated for their dedication to nursing through active mentoring, role modeling, advocating for their patients and residents, and promoting the positive image of nursing. They serve as a beacon of inspiration to those at all stages of their careers and in various important nursing roles.
McNamara began her nursing journey in 1977, where she honed her skills in the Intensive Care and Critical Care Units at Doctors’ Hospital in Staten Island. She later advanced to management, becoming the Director of Ambulatory Surgery, where she oversaw pain management and endoscopy. In 2000, she joined NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View, serving in various roles, including Clinical Risk Manager, Patient Safety Officer, and ultimately, Director of Nursing. Subsequently, she received her promotion to Chief Nursing Officer for the health system’s post-acute care service line. McNamara has spearheaded significant initiatives that have improved patient outcomes, from reducing antipsychotic use, polypharmacy, and falls to preventing pressure injuries and rehospitalizations. Today, McNamara oversees more than 1,600 nursing professionals caring for 1,500 patients and residents across five skilled nursing facilities and a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital.
“The DAISY and BEE awards recognize, not only technical expertise, but the natural quality of compassion that each of these extraordinary nurses possess. It can be difficult to truly quantify, but their impact has an immeasurable benefit and felt by our patients and residents,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President of Post-Acute Care Khoi Luong, DO, MBA. “I encourage each of our award recipients to continue inspiring our new, and experienced nurses, and revitalize the importance of this essential care whenever possible.”
“It was an incredible honor to witness the outstanding dedication of our nurses and support staff being recognized with the DAISY and BEE Awards within our Post-Acute Care service line. These accolades reflect the compassion, commitment, and care that define our profession. I am particularly proud to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to CNO Marian McNamara, who has worked at NYC Health + Hospitals for over 25 years. Her leadership and unwavering passion have made an indelible impact on our Post-Acute Care service line.” said NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Executive Natalia Cineas, MBA, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, FALDN.
“We are so proud of our partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals because of the extraordinary care they provide each and every day,” said DAISY Foundation Co-Founder Bonnie Barnes, FAAN. “On behalf of all of us at the Foundation, we congratulate these special nurses. They truly make a difference, and their work really matters to patients and their families.”
“Nursing is more than a profession — it’s a calling. It’s the moments when you hold a resident’s hand, offering not just medical care, but a sense of calm, reassurance, and comfort. Our esteemed DAISY and BEE award recipients represent the quiet strength in a world that needs more kindness, patience, and love, now more than ever,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care Chief Nursing Officer Marian McNamara, RN, MSN. “With deepest admiration, we celebrate their remarkable contributions and congratulate them on reaching this incredible milestone in their nursing careers. I’m also overjoyed to share this moment with them as a recipient of the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award 2025, an accolade I will cherish as a symbol of the love and compassion shared throughout my nursing career with those who needed it most.”
Honorees were nominated by residents, families, and staff who shared compelling stories about their day-to-day experiences with these compassionate care professionals. The 2025 DAISY Award & BEE Award honorees include:
- Clinton Gadson, RN – DAISY Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Carter
- Charmaine Smith, PCT – BEE Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Carter
- Dorothy Solomon, RN – DAISY Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler
- Anjanie Singh, CNA – BEE Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler
- Elvia De La Cruz, RN – DAISY Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur
- Myrlene Dorvilne, PCT – BEE Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur
- Rowena Macatangay, RN – DAISY Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney
- Holley Patterson, PCT – BEE Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney
- Amy Guarcello, RN – DAISY Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View
- Sharlene Sisodia, PCT – BEE Award – NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View
“The DAISY and BEE awardees are one testament to our recent achievement in the Pathway to Excellence designation with distinction credential and signifies that our nursing staff continue to be committed to quality patient-centered care, working with passion, purpose, strength and compassion in their approach to daily tasks,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Carter Chief Nursing Officer Meriam Pineda, BSN, RN.
“The DAISY and BEE Awards are a testament to the outstanding contributions of Elvia De La Cruz, RN and Myrlene Dorvilne, PCT. We celebrate them both for their exceptional dedication, professionalism, and compassionate care that they provide to our Residents at Gouverneur each and every day,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Chief Nursing Officer Charleen Clark, RN, MSN.
“Coler is proud to honor the recipients of the DAISY and BEE Award. The Nurses and CNAs work diligently on a daily basis to bring quality care to all our residents. This award exemplifies their compassionate care and unwavering dedication they perform to ensure that our residents feel safe and secure. Congratulation to all the honorees,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler Chief Nursing Officer Yves-Rose Pascal, RN, MSN, RAC-CT.
“It’s an absolute privilege to celebrate these honorees who make such a difference in our patients’ lives,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney Chief Nursing Officer Ann Whyte-Akinyooye, MSN-PH, GRN, RN. “They bring not only their skills but their kindness, and we are so proud of them. They pour their hearts into everything they do – upholding the highest standards of integrity, advocating fiercely for their patients and bringing unmatched passion to every shift. They are the true heart of our facility.”
“To our DAISY and BEE award recipients – Amy Guarcillo, RN, and Sharlene Sisodia, PCT. We salute you for the extraordinary care you provide to our residents each and every day. Your kindness, compassion, and dedication have truly enriched the lives of those we serve. Together, you embody the very essence of what NYC Health + Hospitals represents. Thank you for who you are – and for representing Sea View with such excellence,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View Chief Nursing Officer Dorothy McIntosh-Waddy, RN, CRRN.
The nurses recognized are among the more than 9,600 nurses at NYC Health + Hospitals who provide care throughout the system’s hospitals, long-term care (skilled nursing) facilities, community health centers and neighborhood clinics, home care, and the correctional health system, throughout the five boroughs.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Rafael Dominguez, NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care, 646-694-4910
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Post-Acute Care
NYC Health + Hospitals Post-Acute Care is comprised of five skilled nursing facilities (SNF), a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) and adult day healthcare program. There is a total of 2,099 inpatient beds in the SNFs and LTACH. Carter, Coler, Gouverneur, McKinney, and Seaview have all consistently earned Four- & Five-Star Ratings awarded by CMS. In addition, Carter, Gouverneur, McKinney and Seaview have been recognized by US News & World Report as one of the Best Nursing Homes in 2025 for long-term care and short-term rehabilitation; Newsweek ranks Carter, Coler, Gouverneur, and Sea View in the Top 10 of Best Nursing Homes 2025 in New York State; McKinney ranked in the Top 20. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/postacutecare.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About the DAISY Foundation
The DAISY Foundation was created in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick received extraordinary care from his nurses, and his family felt compelled to express their profound gratitude for the compassion and skill nurses bring to patients and families every day. The DAISY Award celebrates nurses in over 5,800 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing around the world. For more information about The DAISY Award and the Foundation’s other recognition of nurses, faculty and students, visit www.daisyfoundation.org.