Grand Forks Nurse Receives Industry Award for Care
The recognition highlights the clinical and operational value of compassionate support protocols in local hospital settings.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Nursing Jobs
Registered nurse Bella Kartch received the DAISY Award at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks. The recognition follows her care for a family experiencing a pregnancy loss.
Why it matters
Clinical leadership awards highlight the impact of emotional support protocols on patient experience outcomes in high-acuity healthcare settings.
The recognition stems from care provided to a patient admitted at 19 weeks of gestational age. While the DAISY Award is a standard industry metric for nursing excellence, hospital-specific adoption rates of compassionate-care bereavement kits are not publicly tracked.
The players
Bella Kartch
Registered nurse at Altru Hospital noted for clinical and compassionate patient care.
Altru Hospital
A healthcare provider serving the Grand Forks region as a major regional medical center.
The details
Kartch earned the award by implementing active support strategies, including providing family keepsakes like footprints, handprints, and a weighted stuffed bear. Her operational approach focused on direct patient engagement through consistent bedside conversation to manage trauma during the loss.
Timeline
May 16 is the date Kartch cited for personal reflection on the family's experience.
Market Landscape
The DAISY Award serves as a national benchmark for excellence in clinical nursing and patient-centered care. This recognition at Altru Hospital aligns with broader industry efforts to standardize emotional support and bereavement care as essential components of high-quality health services.
Operators in healthcare should view clinical awards as signals of successful patient-care training programs. Assessing how staff handle high-emotion incidents can serve as a metric for team retention and community service quality.
The takeaway
Empathetic engagement at the bedside is a core clinical competency that directly influences patient experience scores. Healthcare managers should evaluate their current protocols for family bereavement support to ensure they provide adequate tools for nursing staff.
Further reading
For more on local healthcare staffing and recognition trends, visit the Nursing Jobs section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KROX | The Voice Of The Valley - Your Award Winning Source For Sports, News & Weather in the Crookston Area.
