Extraordinary Nurse Recognized at Ashley Regional Medical Center
July 20, 2026
Vernal, UT (July 20, 2026) — Pennie Johnson, RN, BSN, of Ashley Regional Medical Center was recently honored with The DAISY Award® For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's programs to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.
The nomination submitted read, “I was faced with a difficult decision regarding my care after a critical situation. Pennie gave me all the information I needed to make a decision without pushing me one way or another. When I made my decision, she supported it, advocated for me, and offered reassurance. She made me feel like a normal person, talked to me, and treated me as a true friend. She went above and beyond with my care, always being one step ahead of my needs. Lastly, Pennie stayed an hour past her shift to comfort me and make sure I was okay. I will never forget how she sacrificed her time to help me. She helped a traumatic experience become a beautiful reminder of the strength I have in me. I will never forget her kindness and the love she showed towards me as a stranger.”
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune 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 patient families.
"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill, and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do.” Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, “The kind of work the nurses at Ashley Regional Medical Center are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”
“This is the epitome of nursing,” said Grant Barraclough, Chief Nursing Officer. “While clinical excellence is essential, the most meaningful moments in healthcare often come from simple acts of compassion that help patients feel seen, understood, and valued. The DAISY Award celebrates nurses who go beyond delivering care to create genuine human connections, and that is what makes this profession so extraordinary.”
For a complete listing of healthcare organizations currently running the program, please go to http://DAISYfoundation.org
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About Ashley Regional Medical Center:
Ashley Regional Medical Center has been a part of the Uintah Basin since 1941. Ashley Regional is a Joint Commission Accredited 39-bed hospital located in the heart of Dinosaur Land in Vernal, Utah.
We are proud to have received numerous designations and accreditations that demonstrate our dedication to providing high-quality and safe patient care. The Emergency Room at Ashley Regional treats thousands of patients a year and is staffed 24-hours a day with a dedicated emergency room physician. Ashley Regional is a designated Level IV Trauma Center, has been designated as a Stroke Receiving Facility by the Utah State Department of Health, is Chest Pain Accredited, and holds a Leapfrog 'A" grade for Fall 2024.
Beyond emergency services, Ashley Regional offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient specialized services, including orthopedics, obstetrics, level II neonatal intensive care unit, IV therapy and chemotherapy, general surgery, respiratory therapy, sleep lab, cardiac rehabilitation, diabetes care, family medicine, ENT, neurology, medical laboratory, diagnostic and interventional radiology and more.
In 2026 Ashley Regional has been recognized as a Top 100 Rural & Community Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health for the tenth consecutive year as well as placed on the 2024 Fortune PINC AI 100 Top Hospitals list. The healthcare workers at Ashley Regional Medical Center are committed to providing the best possible patient care.