Florey Recognized with DAISY Award at HRMC
March 18, 2026
Huron Regional Medical Center (HRMC) has announced Tessa Florey, RN, as the most recent recipient of the DAISY Award.
Florey, a registered nurse at HRMC, exemplified extraordinary compassion and care, inspiring a patient’s family to nominate her for the DAISY Award. The nomination stated, “My 88-year-old grandpa was seen in the ER for pneumonia over the weekend, on the brink of being sent to Sioux Falls. My grandpa, dad, and aunt had the pleasure of meeting Tessa and her amazing skillset and selfless demeanor firsthand. My dad does not give complements freely, and he was raving about Tessa and her care for my grandpa saying, ‘Tessa is awesome at her job’ and ‘She was made to care for people.’ The nomination continued, “My grandpa has bounced back and is doing much better than when he went in. I feel Tessa is a huge part of that. I feel the care that is implemented to make the patient stable and their comfort level is a huge thing in recovery. She will always be held on a pedestal in my family's eyes.”
Florey shares what inspires her in nursing and the meaningful role she plays in supporting patients during difficult moments, “I enjoy working with people. Some days may be difficult, but I know that I'm making a difference. I also enjoy the quick thinking and being able to use my skills in nursing. I like being there on people's worst day and being the person that can help them through, navigate the moment with them, and give them some personal experience to make them feel more comfortable in a difficult situation.”
Upon receiving the DAISY Award, Florey expressed, “I was overwhelmed. Some days have been hard, and to hear that people do see you, patients do appreciate you, it feels really good and very humbling. It makes you want to cry as the support is much appreciated.”
The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care that nurses provide every day. The DAISY Foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes after he died at age 33 of complications from an auto-immune disease to honor his memory and thank nurses who provide exceptional compassion and kindness to patients.
Born and raised in Huron, Florey returned home after earning her BSN from the University of South Dakota to begin her first nursing role at HRMC, where her connection to the community continues to grow. “I’m going to be a lifer,” she joked. “I love the community. I love being here and seeing the familiar faces.” Florey has a great support system with her parents, Jim and Tammie Musil and her husband, Colt. Florey and her husband have two children, Gemma (3 ½) and Jett (2). In her free time, she enjoys canning produce from her garden, baking, and crocheting.
Florey is the fourteenth DAISY Award winner at HRMC, with one nurse recognized each quarter. The department and shift of the award winner receive fresh cinnamon rolls to celebrate, as requested by the Barnes family. Nominees for each quarter also receive a pin recognizing their compassion and care. Nominations may be submitted by staff, visitors, providers and patients, with forms available throughout the hospital and online at www.huronregional.org/recognition-awards. More information about the DAISY Award can be found online at www.DaisyFoundation.org.
Tessa Florey, RN, poses for a photo with colleagues
following receipt of the DAISY Award
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