International program recognizes skillful, compassionate nurses.
Steubenville, Ohio, December 8, 2025–Trinity Health System, a member of CommonSpirit Health, is pleased to announce that Christine Radivoj, Director of Emergency Services, has been awarded the prestigious The DAISY Award® For Extraordinary Nurses.
The DAISY Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day. Nominations may come from patients, family members, other nurses, and health care professionals who feel that a nurse has exemplified extraordinary compassionate care.
Radivoj was nominated by her colleague Steve Hughes, whom she helped save when he became unresponsive while they were working at Trinity Health St. Clairsville a week before its opening. They were the only people present, and Radivoj immediately took action to save his life.
She was also nominated by another colleague, Christopher Heinen, Nursing Supervisor, who wrote: “I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Christine since I started in the Emergency Department in 2022. And now as I have stepped into this new role as Nursing Supervisor, she has served as a wealth of knowledge and experience, which has most definitely helped shape my own professional development and care as a nurse. She has a lot on her plate, from St. Clairsville to Express Care to being a provider in this ED at West, but that never stops her from making sure we provide the absolute best care for our patients. Christine is absolutely deserving of this award. I believe it serves as a fitting recognition of her efforts, both the visible achievements and the countless behind-the-scenes contributions that often go unnoticed. Her dedication, expertise, and leadership are an inspiration to everyone, including myself. Congratulations, Christine!”
“To receive the DAISY Foundation award is not only an honor, but a humbling experience,” Radivoj said. “Throughout my career spanning 40-plus years, I have been very fortunate to provide care for countless patients. This award, at this time in my career, was extremely meaningful to me and is one achievement that I will never forget.”
Radivoj emphasized how the award represents the critical work performed daily by her team in Emergency Services.
“Anyone who has been a patient or had a family member in the Emergency Department has experienced the chaotic environment in which we practice,” she said. “Working in this setting not only requires clinical expertise, but more importantly, it also includes the ability to provide empathetic and compassionate care. The ED team at Trinity West and St. Clairsville strive daily to provide this level of care to all patients with the support and guidance of nursing leadership.”
The DAISY Foundation Story
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died in late 1999 at the age of 33 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. The care Patrick 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 patients’ families.
“When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, Doctor of Humane Letters (h.c) and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the superhuman work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Trinity Health System are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”
A Message to the Community
As a healthcare provider deeply rooted in the Ohio Valley community, Radivoj extended gratitude to Trinity Health System’s patients:
“Thank you for trusting me and my fellow nursing colleagues when you are most vulnerable and allowing each of us to serve you at our community hospital. Most of our nursing team have grown up in the Ohio Valley, trained locally, and have chosen to work and do so with great pride and privilege. Working in our community not only builds stronger relationships with patients, it also provides nurses with a purpose and passion. I cannot think of a more rewarding opportunity and am grateful to have the opportunity to make a difference.”
Trinity Health System celebrates Christine Radivoj for her extraordinary commitment and for embodying the mission of CommonSpirit Health through her daily practice.
In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the DAISY Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 5,000 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of Nurse-led Teams, Nurse Leaders, Nurses Advancing Health Equity, Nursing Faculty, Nursing Students, Lifetime Achievement in Nursing and through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, Medical Mission Grants, and their new Health Equity Grant programs.
For a complete listing of healthcare organizations currently running the program, please visit DAISYFoundation.org.
We welcome further coverage of the work Christine Radivoj and her team are doing. Please contact Laurie Labishak using the information in the header of this press release to arrange an interview.
