Methodist Women’s Hospital Nurse ‘Definitely Found Her Calling,’ New Mom Says

Jasye Morrison, BSN, RNC-EFM, knew something was up when she was called to the Criss Room at Methodist Women’s Hospital last month. She just didn’t know what.

“When I walked through the door and I saw a board room full of administrators, I instantly thought, ‘I’m fired,’” the labor and delivery nurse said. “Then I came around the corner and saw my dad standing there, and the cupcakes and flowers, and I was like, ‘Oh, I know what this is now. This is The DAISY Award.’”

She was right – sort of.

Joining Morrison’s father, Rob, were several coworkers and her mother, Denise Morrison, BSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, a Methodist labor and delivery nurse with more than 20 years of experience. Morrison assumed the gathering must be to honor her mom.

“They must not have told me because they knew that I would never been able to keep that secret,” Morrison aid. “I just figured that if we were down there for someone being recognized for their care, it would have to be her, because she’s the best.”

After a few more moments of confusion, the truth dawned on Morrison. She was the one being honored with The DAISY Award.

A Winding Path

When Morrison began pursuing a career in medicine, she didn’t envision working side by side with her mom.

“My parents are both nurses, so for most of my life I was like, ‘I can’t be a nurse. That’s what my parents do,’” said Morrison, who grew up in Papillion.

Midway through her first year as a pre-med student at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, she realized bedside care was her passion. She began studying nursing at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Kearney campus.

“So then I changed course, but I thought, I’m not going to do OB because that’s what my mom does. That’d be ridiculous.”

But as she neared graduation, “I hadn’t really found the thing that was my thing,” said Morrison, who was working as a floating certified nursing assistant (CNA) at CHI Health Good Samaritan.

That’s when she was asked to pick up shifts in Kearney Regional Medical Center’s labor and delivery unit.

“Fill some empty shifts and see what you think,” she remembered being told. “I was like, ‘OK, but I’m not going to like it.’ But I got there, and I realized that with the whole thing I was trying not to do, it felt like it was where I was meant to be.”

Putting Patients at Ease

When Morrison returned to the Omaha area in 2020, applying to work at Methodist Women’s Hospital was a “no-brainer,” she said. She’s been making a difference in the lives of patients like Kristy Koris ever since.

Kristy and her husband, Nate, arrived at Women’s in February to deliver their first child, a baby boy named Bodie. Even with her own nursing background, Kristy didn’t know quite what to expect. Her anxiety and nerves, she recalled, were through the roof. Then she met Morrison and immediately felt at ease.

“I always think that when your nurse walks into the room, how they introduce themselves and start your day out is very telling about how the rest of your stay is going to go,” Kristy said. “From the second she walked in, she was very calm, she was laid back, she was confident. She walked me through exactly what things were going to look like.”

Kristy also recalled how Morrison supported Nate – “a typical first-time dad.”

“Supporting the support person is always super important to me,” Morrison said. “At the end of the day, this is his baby, too, and his experience, as well. That’s the person my patient loves and wants involved in their care, so I want them to be involved in their care.”

“This Is Where I’m Meant To Be”

Kristy and Nate felt strongly about honoring nurses for their work long before Bodie’s birth.

“We both know how difficult the last two years have been,” Kristy said. “I told myself that if I ever get admitted to the hospital, I’m going to do everything I can to recognize the nurses. They don’t get enough recognition.”

After such a positive experience with Morrison, it was an easy decision to nominate her for The DAISY Award, which recognizes nurses for their extraordinary skill and compassion. In the nomination, Kristy wrote that Morrison “definitely found her calling as a labor and delivery nurse.”

Looking back, Kristy added: “Some people come to work and do their work and go home, but with her, you could tell that she genuinely enjoyed her job and wanted to help people and make sure that everyone had a good experience.”

Weeks later, the shock of receiving the award has given way to gratitude, and it’s motivated Morrison to push ahead.

“It was just such a blessing,” she said. “And a reassurance that this is where I’m meant to be and what I’m supposed to do. There are so many wonderful people that I’ve been able to meet and beautiful experiences I’ve been able to be a part of just in the last couple years. I’m just really excited for what the rest of my career holds.”