From Treetops to the Operating Room: How Arborist Madeline Warnement Became a DAISY Award-Winning Nurse
Maddie never set out to become a nurse. Her first real career was working as an arborist and wildlife conservationist. She spent her days up in trees and out in the field, doing her part to protect nature. But deep down, she’s always been the kind of person who just wants to help others.
It all started when someone she was dating began talking about nursing school at Nightingale College. The more she heard, the more it made sense. She sat down one day, made a list of what she wanted from a career and realized nursing ticked every single box. About a week later, she signed up. The recruiter was genuinely kind and made the whole process feel easy. Before long, Maddie was juggling full-time work and nursing classes at the same time.
It wasn’t easy. This was her second bachelor’s degree, and while school had always come somewhat naturally before, the stakes felt much higher now. “I wasn’t learning just for a grade anymore,” she said. “If I didn’t know these things, I could hurt somebody.” That realization kept her focused.
Halfway through the program, she got diagnosed with ADHD. It finally explained why she used to sit there in tears during tests, watching everyone else finish while she was still scrambling for time. She started meeting with her advisor, Amanda Bokish, every week. Amanda had ADHD too, so she really got it. She helped Maddie stay on track and taught her better ways to study. A few other professors also made a big difference, especially one younger instructor who had just gone through nursing school herself not long ago.
Of course, there were setbacks. Maddie failed a couple of classes for the first time ever. She went through a tough breakup during school. She had to completely relearn how to study as an adult. But looking back, Maddie says she came out the other side a much stronger person. “I feel like a completely different version of myself after Nightingale,” she said.
After graduation, she packed up and moved across the country from California to the northwest suburbs of Chicago. She took a surgical nurse job that was open to new grads. A year and a half later, she’s finally feeling settled and confident in the operating room.
Then came an unexpected honor.
Maddie received a DAISY Award, a prestigious national recognition given to nurses for extraordinary, compassionate care, as nominated by patients and families. For a surgical nurse who typically spends only minutes with patients before they go under anesthesia, it felt especially meaningful.
The story that got her the award involved a young woman having jaw surgery. She was there all by herself and clearly anxious. When a delay came up with some equipment, Maddie didn’t walk away to help with setup like a lot of others might. She stayed right there at the bedside, just talking with the patient and trying to calm her nerves. Later, the patient wrote that Maddie had made the whole scary experience feel a little less frightening.
Maddie has a natural way with people in tough moments. She reads the room quickly and figures out what each patient needs, whether that’s holding their hand, saying a quiet prayer, staying silent, or even chatting about their favorite childhood tree until they drift off. She’s even used her old arborist stories or asked patients to guess the color of her green eyes to distract them from panic.
This year for National Nurses Week, the theme is “The Power of the Nurse.” When we asked Maddie what that means to her, she didn’t hesitate:
“Nurses are really the heart of the hospital. We’re the ones who spend the most time with patients. We show the compassion. When a nurse walks into the room, the whole feeling in there can change. People relax a little because they know someone is actually seeing them as a full person, not just a problem to solve.”
These days, Maddie tries to pass that same kindness along. She makes a point to support new nurses in the OR, even telling them they can come talk to her on rough days. She started a gratitude board in the lounge so the team can write little notes of appreciation for each other. She even decorates the space to make it feel a bit less cold and sterile.
Her advice to nursing students who are struggling right now is simple and real:
“You’ll get there. Think about eating 50 slices of pizza—you can’t do it all at once. Just take one slice at a time. Focus on the assignment that’s right in front of you. Trust that the version of you who has to take the NCLEX or handle the hard clinical days will figure it out when the time comes.”
And for new nurses who might be dealing with a tough team or wondering if they’re in the right place:
“You’ll find where you belong,” she said. “It might not be the specialty you dreamed about in school. Sometimes you have to try a few things. Keep gaining experience and don’t be afraid to keep looking. Enjoy the journey as much as you can. You’ll get there.”
Maddie’s path, from climbing trees and protecting wildlife to standing beside patients in their most vulnerable moments, is a powerful reminder of what nursing is really about: resilience, heart, and the quiet difference one person can make.
