Director of Nursing Excellence recognized for humility, work ethic

ROME, Ga., June 20, 2025 – Kendra Pickens, RN, director of Nursing Excellence and Professional Development at Atrium Health Floyd, was surprised with the DAISY Nurse Leader Award, given to those who create an environment where compassionate, skillful care thrives.

Pickens has been with Floyd for more than 5 years.

“It really is a pleasure to recognize someone who is truly special, and you are very special," said Sheila Bennett, senior vice president and chief of patient services, who presented Pickens with the award. “You are humble, and quick to give credit to other people and not take it for yourself. You work morning, noon and night, while trying to raise four kids. You're innovative. You're always thinking about a better way to do things."

Pickens, who received the award Monday, said she is thrilled by the honor.

“It really means a lot to receive this," she said. “For people to see the hard work that my team and I put in is super rewarding. I love being able to foster a great nursing culture here and helping new nurses so they can provide the best care for our patients."

The family of Patrick Barnes established the DAISY Foundation after Barnes died from an auto-immune disease while being treated in a Seattle hospital.

Bennett presented Pickens with a DAISY pin, and a sculpture entitled “A Healer's Touch." Members of the Shona ethnic group in Zimbabwe hand-carve the sculptures.

The nurse and her teammates were also treated with cinnamon buns, a DAISY tradition because it was one of the few things Barnes could eat while he was hospitalized.

If you know an Atrium Health Floyd nurse who provided exceptional care of you or a loved one, you can nominate them for a DAISY award by completing this online form. 

​About Atrium Health Floyd
The Atrium Health Floyd family of health care services is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Floyd strategically combined with Harbin Clinic in 2024 and employs more than 5,200 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at four facilities: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center – a 361-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia; and Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; and Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health, also in Rome. Together, Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic provide primary care, specialty care and urgent care throughout northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd also operates a stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County, the first such facility to be built from the ground-up in Georgia.

​About Advocate Health 
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Advocate Health is nationally recognized for its expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs more than 160,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to redefining care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.