The Bassett Medical Center Board of Trustees on Dec. 4 presented Cadence Johnson, a registered nurse, with its 2025 Pearl F. Day Award for excellence in nursing practice. Johnson works in Bassett Medical Center’s Inpatient Surgery Department, according to a Bassett news release.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this award,” Johnson said. “To me it means that I am successfully advocating for patients and ensuring that they get the care they need and deserve and that’s why I became a nurse. It also means that my colleagues see me as a person to go to whenever they have a question or need assistance. And it means that they see the effort I put into bettering myself as a person and as a nurse to provide the best care possible for our patients.”
Winners are chosen by their peers, the release stated. Registered nurses and licensed practical nurses at Bassett Medical Center nominate candidates and later vote for the winner. “While considering many qualities that make a nurse exemplary, the nomination criteria highlight the importance of forming a warm, personal connection with patients and families,” the release stated.
“Cadence’s kindness and dedication are evident in every interaction, as she greets each patient with a warm smile and a listening ear,” her nomination stated. “Her unwavering commitment not only improves the lives of her patients but also inspires those around her to strive for excellence. In every sense, she is a beacon of compassion and professionalism.”
Pearl F. Day, the award’s namesake, was a nurse at the United States Naval Hospital in Brooklyn who cared for Henry Allen Moe from 1919 to 1920 after he suffered severe injuries in a naval accident, the release stated. Day’s care made such an impression on Moe that he established the award in her honor by a bequest in 1975. In his lifetime, Moe served as the chair of Bassett’s board of trustees.
“The story of this award alone shows the power of nursing,” said Angela Belmont, chief nurse executive at Bassett Healthcare Network. “Cadence is worthy of that legacy. We are fortunate to have her as a caregiver and colleague.”