October’s DAISY honoree brings calm, comfort during premature delivery
Nov. 10, 2025 -- At 35 weeks, Hayley Ginder wasn't expecting to go into labor early one May morning. The unexpected delivery made her very nervous, but a familiar face was there to help ease her worries. Her nurse at Reid Health Family Birthing Center stayed by her side from morning to night, bringing calm, comfort, and care.
In recognition
of her extraordinary care, Olivia Ripberger, RN, Family Birthing Center, has
been named Reid Health's DAISY Award recipient for October.
Reid's program
is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary,
compassionate care nurses provide patients and families every day.
Nominations for
the DAISY Award can be submitted by patients, family members, colleagues, and
community members. A committee of colleagues selects the recipient during a
blind review process.
Ginder
nominated Ripberger for the recognition.
They share a
special bond. Ripberger assisted Ginder during her first daughter's birth two
years ago, an experience that was just as wonderful.
"Olivia made me
feel nothing but calm and cared for every second I was with her," Ginder said. "She
made sure I knew I was cared for in the best way and always was on her toes to
do everything she could for me and my baby."
The two also
share a professional connection. They first worked together at Reid in 2020
when Ripberger started in the Critical Care Unit as a Student Nurse Technician
(SNT) and Ginder, then a registered nurse on the unit, helped guide her before
Ripberger transitioned to labor and delivery.
Ripberger said
Ginder taught her a great deal during that time.
Ginder herself
was the DAISY Award recipient for February 2025 while working as a registered
nurse on Reid's Critical Care Unit. She recently began a new role as a Nurse
Practitioner with Richmond Cardiology Associates at Reid in July.
Ginder said
Ripberger helped to make every moment of her time with her daughter wonderful.
When
Ripberger's shift ended that evening, she left the hospital to buy preemie
pajamas for the newborn knowing the family wasn't ready for an early arrival.
"Olivia made my experience truly enjoyable and something I will remember and treasure in my heart forever," -- Hayley Ginder, nominator
"She truly
cares so much for her patients and their babies. She has a heart of gold and I
truly love the person she is.
"I can't thank
Olivia enough for all she did for me and my baby and our family. She will
always hold a special place in my heart."
Her daughter is
healthy and just about to turn 6 months old.
The DAISY Award
is presented monthly with the nominator, the honoree's colleagues, family
members, and Reid Health leadership in attendance. Each recipient receives a
certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved sculpture known as "The
Healer's Touch," symbolizing the meaningful difference nurses make in the
lives of others.
"It's quite an
honor," Ripberger said during the presentation. "She's my bestie."
The
presentation came on a particularly busy day for the Family Birthing Center for
deliveries.
Ripberger said
she didn't think much of it when she saw her in-laws in the waiting room around
5 p.m. They told her they were there to take her to dinner after her shift.
Confused, she declined, saying she still had more deliveries in progress —
unaware her shift wouldn't end for another two hours.
"It'd been a
day, so I was going to believe it," she laughed. "We've been so busy, the DAISY
Award was honestly the last thing I thought would ever happen."
Ripberger joined
the Family Birthing Center after graduating with her nursing degree from
Indiana University East in 2022. As a student worker in the CCU during the
COVID-19 pandemic, the experience was especially challenging.
"It was hard to
be in that environment during that time, and I wanted a job I could look
forward to coming to every day," Ripberger said. "When an SNT position opened
in the Family Birthing Center, I took it, and after graduation I became a nurse
here."
Still, Ginder's
influence stayed with her.
"She's one of
my favorite people I know," Ripberger said. "I just think she's an exceptional
human and to be awarded the same award makes me feel like I'm doing something
right because I look up to her so much as a mom, as a nurse, and as a person."
Anna
Osborn-Brown, Senior
Director of Nursing at Reid, said Ripberger's commitment to providing
exceptional care reminds us why the nursing profession is so vital to the
patient experience.
"Her kindness
and professionalism make a lasting difference for the families we serve and
reflect the values we hold at Reid Health every day," Osborn-Brown said.
Misti
Foust-Cofield, Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer said Ripberger exemplifies the
compassion, skill, and dedication of Reid's nursing team.
"Her ability to
bring calm and comfort to patients during such important moments in their lives
truly reflects the spirit of the DAISY Award. We're proud to have Olivia as
part of our Family Birthing Center team," Foust-Cofield said.
The DAISY Award
was created to recognize nurses who treat patients and families with
compassion, instill faith and hope in patients, exceed the expectations by
understanding and anticipating their patients' needs, and look for
opportunities to create a welcome and special environment for patients.
To Ripberger,
an exceptional nurse is someone who goes above and beyond to leave a lasting
impression on a patient and their family, ensures all the necessary resources are
available, and patients have access to anything and everything they'll need to
be successful at home.
"I appreciate
all the nurses I work with because they make me a better person. We're like a
family on this unit. I can't imagine not being able to work with the people I
work with," Ripberger said.
Ripberger was
raised in Memphis, Tennessee, before moving to the area in 2019. She lives in Connersville
with her husband and 2-year-old daughter.
About the
DAISY Foundation
The DAISY Award is part
of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate
nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Award was
established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family after he
passed away from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a
little known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. The care Patrick and his
family received while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses
for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient
families. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.