I can think of no other clinical nurse more worthy to receive the DAISY Award for Nursing Ethics than Jayme. This award is meant to recognize those nurses who demonstrate the importance of human values and ethics in nursing. She not only represents ethics in action but has helped to raise the importance of human values in nursing practice. On behalf of our patients and community, she has exemplified both ethics in action and raising awareness for, and role-modeling the importance of, human values and human connection in healthcare practice. 

She collaborated with both UMC clinicians and community representatives to develop a comprehensive program designed to address potential human trafficking candidates presenting to UMC. This included help and awareness signage, employee scripting, extensive employee education, and raising awareness of trafficking signs and symptoms and trafficking statistics to the UMC medical staff and the board. Then, working with community agencies and law enforcement involved in human trafficking worked to develop a statistical database to track the numbers of victims identified and helped at UMC through this program. Since putting the program into place, UMC staff have identified numerous trafficking candidates. Many of them were, helped and supported to make different choices and pursue legal protection for themselves, their children, and family members. 

Her efforts raised ethical awareness about an issue that few really understand or recognize. UMC staff were shocked to realize how many potential human trafficking victims present to our hospital for care that could be protected and helped if just one staff member picked up on the signs and offered safe haven. 

I can think of no other nurse at UMC who deserves this recognition more. I am proud of her efforts and glad to have such a wonderful nurse on our UMC team! Our patients and community should feel grateful that such a person is advocating and acting on behalf of such a vulnerable group of human beings.