Rita Bridges, RN, nurse manager at the Southeast Georgia Health System Brunswick Campus, was recently honored with The DAISY Leadership Award® for Extraordinary Nurses in recognition of the unwavering support, trust and guidance she provides to her nursing team. Bridges was nominated by a member of her team, who submitted the nomination through PassportUSA, a health care staffing organization that partners with health systems to support and celebrate nursing excellence. PassportUSA selected Bridges as the recipient and presented the award.

A nurse manager at the Brunswick Campus for five years, Bridges is known for fostering a supportive and empowering work environment.

Excerpts from her nomination include:

“Rita has a unique leadership style that makes you feel both independent and supported at the same time. Even though I am not the most outspoken nurse on the floor and we do not interact as often as others do, she still acknowledges my contributions and recognizes my expertise as an RN. That kind of validation means a great deal—it shows she is truly attentive to each member of her team.”

“Rita consistently has her nurses’ backs. She prioritizes our well-being, encourages flexibility, and fosters a calm, respectful environment where we feel empowered to make decisions. At the same time, she remains thoughtfully present, ensuring we are supported and delivering the highest quality care. She is a composed, approachable, and thoughtful leader who guides with balance and quiet strength—and that makes a meaningful difference in how we care for our patients and for one another. Rita doesn’t just manage—she leads with heart. Her influence extends far beyond the unit, cultivating a culture of kindness, resilience, and excellence.”

During the presentation, Bridges received “A Healer’s Touch” sculpture, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe, along with cinnamon rolls, balloons and a beautiful bouquet of daisies.

Created by The DAISY Foundation™—an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System—The DAISY Award was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and the patients’ family and friends. Today, more than 5,000 health care facilities and nursing schools worldwide honor nurses with The DAISY award.

Nurses can be nominated for The DAISY Award online at sghs.org/daisy-award, or nominations may be placed in DAISY boxes located throughout the Health System’s Brunswick and Camden campuses. A committee consisting of Health System team members, including clinical and non-clinical staff, leadership, medical staff and board members, review the nominations and determine The DAISY Award recipient(s).