POPLAR BLUFF — Kristin Lyscas, a registered nurse at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, has been named the newest recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®, an honor recognizing exemplary compassion and care for patients and their families.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Lyscas said, recalling how her supervisor convinced her to stay late after an overnight shift to surprise her with the award. “I’ve been a nurse for almost 10 years now, and it feels amazing … I’m still in shock.”
Lyscas joined the VA in 2022, working her first 18 months in urgent care. She now serves as the nighttime Nurse Officer of the Day, helping support and oversee care across multiple units. What she loves most, she said, is being able to make a difference.
“It has always brought me great joy to be able to utilize my skills and knowledge to assist those in need,” she said. “Another thing I love about VA is the sense of community and belonging you don’t get in a private facility. I honestly feel the work I do here makes a difference and that my voice is heard.”
A longtime Poplar Bluff resident with several relatives who served in the military, Lyscas said caring for Veterans carries a special personal meaning.
“Part of me wants to do my part in serving our country — serving those who fought with such bravery for the freedoms we have today,” she said.
Lyscas was nominated by a coworker who wrote that she “exemplifies the very best of what it means to serve our nation’s heroes,” adding that Veterans frequently praise her kindness, attentiveness, and ability to make them feel valued. Her supervisor, Walter Rommel, described her as a leader who goes “above and beyond to understand each Veteran’s unique needs” and as a “remarkable team player” who strengthens those around her.
As part of the award, Lyscas received The Healer’s Touch, a hand-carved Shona sculpture created by artists in Zimbabwe and provided through the DAISY Foundation. The Foundation notes that proceeds help sustain artists and their extended families in a country long affected by economic instability.
The DAISY Foundation was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura at age 33. DAISY — an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System — honors the compassionate care Barnes received from nurses during his illness.
Nurses at the Pershing VA may be nominated by patients, families or colleagues through forms available at the medical center and its clinics. Award recipients are selected by a committee and honored at on-site celebrations.
The DAISY Award is presented in more than 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing worldwide. More information is available at DAISYfoundation. org.
