DAISY Faculty Award Winners Are Guiding Students to Healthier Futures
The DAISY Foundation, as part of its dedication to recognize and lift up the nursing profession, established the DAISY Faculty Award as a national recognition program to show appreciation to nursing faculty for their commitment and inspirational influence on their students. The DAISY Faculty Award honors academic leaders responsible for preparing the nation's nursing workforce and celebrates the contributions faculty make to the future of nursing.
Congratulations to the Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing 2023 DAISY Faculty Award winners Jules Vick Crawford, DNP, MSN, RN, and Amber Nordike, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN.
Jules Vick Crawford, DNP, MSN, RN
It's never too late to take a new track. Jules Vick Crawford, DNP, MSN, RN, came to nursing later than many nurses. "I was a tech in my 20s and finally decided to become a nurse at age 30," they say. Jules's mom and aunt were role models as nurses.
Jules moved to St. Louis in 2006 from Michigan and completed their BSN in 2010, followed by their MSN in 2015. "I realized I liked teaching patients at bedside," Jules says. "But I hadn't thought about teaching students initially."
That step happened when they began teaching at St. Louis Community College. "I liked seeing the lightbulb moments in students." And a teaching career was born.
In 2015, Jules came to Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing to teach. They were drawn to BJC HealthCare's commitment to diversity and teamwork.
Jules' next step was to complete their DNP, which fueled their interest in leadership. Jules continues to work per diem at Barnes-Jewish Hospital to stay current on best practices, policies, procedures and new techniques.
"I like being at the bedside," Jules says. "But what I enjoy most is watching students grow to become the best nurses they can be."
Another important way Jules is shaping the College and future nurses is by educating in the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) space. For the past eight years, they have served on BJC's Spectra Committee for LGBTQ+ employees. "I have done a lot of work at Goldfarb to help faculty learn how to teach content related to the LGBTQI+ community," Jules says. "We're integrating DEI topics into the curriculum. My goal is to help everyone feel comfortable teaching DEI topics so our nurses are well-rounded and well-prepared. I've also tried to help people have more open minds and understanding about things."
Jules's leadership is making a difference. They say they are most proud of their work in DEI and impacting the culture at the College. As a member of the College's Culture Council, Jules was instrumental in bringing Safe Zone training to Goldfarb to certify faculty, staff, and students. These trainings are opportunities to learn about LGBTQ+ identities, gender and sexuality, and a they offer a chance to examine assumptions.
"Being certified as a Safe Zone is an honorable distinction for any institution but especially in higher education because it helps people feel safe in their environment," Jules says.
Jules is also proud of their chair role in the expansion of the Shared Faculty Governance Committee that gives a voice and sense of belonging to more people.
Jules's leadership skills connect easily to their teaching style of openness. "I have a good rapport with students but I'm serious about what they need to learn," Jules says. "I was excited to hear I won the DAISY Faculty Award. It solidifies my relationships with students and makes me feel good that students appreciate me."
Amber Nordike, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN
Growing up in a rural Illinois town, Amber Nordike, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, was surrounded by first responders in her family, from EMTs to firefighters. "That built a sense of community. Everyone came to them for help," Amber says.
So in 2008, Amber started her career as an EMT. "I have a lot of respect for EMTs," she says. "As an EMT, I saw it all and learned how to preserve patient dignity. I also learned teamwork and built critical thinking skills. That experience gave me an idea of what happens to patients before they get to the hospital."
While Amber enjoyed working in the field, she decided she wanted to spend more time with patients than EMTs and paramedics could. So she applied to nursing school—and promptly discovered she was pregnant.
Rather than be derailed in her plans, Amber says her challenges made her more determined than ever. After briefly pausing nursing school plans, Amber jumped back in after her baby was born in 2010.
"It lit a fire under me and fueled my work ethic," Amber says. "I was a single mom working as a tech at two different hospitals, and driving 75 miles to go to class. Many days I didn't think I would make it. But I had a lot of support and resources. And I've been able to use my experience in my nursing practice and to relate to students."
By 2011, she was working in the cardiac ICU at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Meanwhile, she was precepting accelerated nursing students at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing. That experience led her to pursue a master's degree in Education. "I realized I really like teaching," Amber says. "It's fulfilling and when I see students going through some of the same things I went through, I can empathize and help light the same fire under them that I had."
Amber taught full time at another nursing school before joining Goldfarb in 2022. "Coming to Goldfarb was like coming home," she says. "I teach clinicals on floors at Barnes-Jewish where I used to work, and some of the people I work with are my former students."
One of Amber's strengths is how she adapts her teaching for multiple learning styles. "I provide lightning lectures for students to listen to while driving. I also try to break down complex topics and bring it to the students' level. In nursing, you learn to speak a different language but you can't learn it all on the first day. I like teaching first-term students so I can help set them up for success."
Amber is proud that she is the first in her family who went to graduate school and earned a doctorate.
As a working mom with another baby on the way, Amber takes a holistic view of her students. "I try to teach them how to balance being a nursing student and managing their life. It can be stressful and I understand their challenges. My role is to offer help or direct students to resources. I also help them create self-care plans from day one. As nurses, we all like to care for people, so we often let self-care out the window. I help students learn to cope in stressful times because for nurses to be their best for patients, they have to take care of themselves."
Students appreciate Amber's real-life approach to teaching, which is reflected in her winning the DAISY Faculty Award. "My students send thank you cards and let me be their sounding board in a safe space," she says. "It means my approach to teaching holistically is paying off. I'm happy to be making a difference in students' lives.
Learn more about Dusty Scheper, BSN, RN, recipient of the 2022 DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty!
