North Country Hospital Names Sierra Pecue DAISY Award Winner

Sierra Pecue, BSN, RN, the Emergency Department and Progressive Care Unit clinical coordinator at North Country Hospital in Newport, has been selected as the hospital’s third DAISY Award recipient for extraordinary nursing. North Country Hospital announced the selection on Feb. 18, 2026, calling the DAISY recognition a national honor for nurses who combine clinical skill with compassionate care.

Pecue was nominated by patients who recognized her “unwavering professionalism, calm leadership and genuine kindness,” hospital materials say. The nominations came amid a broader 2025 nomination cycle in which North Country Healthcare reported receiving “dozens of nominations from the public,” underscoring strong community engagement with the program.

Denise Carter, vice president of patient care services at North Country Hospital, praised Pecue’s bedside manner and leadership: “We are incredibly proud of Sierra and grateful for the care she provides every day. She exemplifies what it means to be a nurse who not only delivers excellent clinical care, but also brings comfort, reassurance, and humanity to every interaction.” North Country Hospital’s own social announcement added, “Sierra’s compassion, professionalism, and dedication to her patients and colleagues embody what this recognition is all about. Congratulations, Sierra, and thank you for the care you provide every day.”

The DAISY Award was created by the family of J. Patrick Barnes in 1999 to thank nurses who make a measurable difference in patients’ lives, a history North Country Healthcare highlights in its system release. Caledonian-Record coverage notes the DAISY program now includes more than 6,500 healthcare facilities and nursing schools in over 40 countries and territories, has recognized more than 220,000 nurses and has received over 2.5 million nominations worldwide, putting Pecue’s local honor in a global context.

North Country Healthcare’s recent system announcement also named DAISY winners at affiliate hospitals this cycle, including Darrien Drapeau, RN, at Androscoggin Valley Hospital, whose nomination read, “The patience, love and compassion were breathtaking. She has become my hero.” Upper Connecticut Valley Hospital’s winner, Benjamin Boucher, RN, was praised in a nomination: “He made sure I had the perfect care. He was direct with me when needed and he also advocated for me.” North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency’s Alexyss (Lexi) McKinnon, RN, received a nomination saying, “Lexi is always kind, patient, caring and compassionate each and every time we are in her care. We are in our 80’s and she is always so patient with us. She is exactly what one would expect in a nurse.”

A photograph published in the Caledonian-Record accompanying recent coverage shows Pecue pictured with other nursing staff and Denise Carter at a local awards event; the Caledonian-Record update carrying that photo is timestamped Feb. 21, 2026. The same paper previously reported Charla Nadeau as the hospital’s second DAISY recipient, consistent with North Country Hospital identifying Pecue as the third.

As a critical access hospital in Newport, North Country Hospital emphasizes evidence-based patient-to-nurse ratios, Unit Nurse Practice Councils and an Overall Nurse Practice Council to drive frontline-informed quality improvements and to support nurses seeking to move between units. Residents who want to contact the hospital can call North Country Hospital at (802) 334-7331; North Country Healthcare also accepts DAISY nominations through its system DAISY nominations page for future award cycles.