Indianapolis, Indiana – At a time when nurses are often described as the heartbeat of healthcare, one clinical instructor at Ivy Tech Community College’s Indianapolis campus is proving just how powerful that role can be—not only at the bedside but in the classroom as well. Tasha Cohee, a dedicated nursing instructor and practicing clinical nurse, was recently named one of the top three finalists for the highly regarded DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
But for Cohee, who is known by students for her compassion, mentorship, and innovative teaching methods, the honor came as a complete surprise.
“To know my students were so impacted by something they learned or did with me … it’s a great honor,” Cohee said. “I was completely surprised. Nursing is raw, and it’s about heart, so knowing I helped shape theirs means everything.”
The moment unfolded in what started as a routine part of the day—a morning huddle at Ascension St. Vincent Carmel, where Cohee works as a bariatric progressive care nurse and guides Ivy Tech Indy nursing students through their clinical rotations. Each day begins with a staff briefing, which often includes announcements, updates, and occasionally, DAISY Award nominations. On this day, Cohee had no idea she was about to be the center of one of those announcements.
“I always make my students attend the morning huddle because they need to get in that practice,” she said.
But that morning was different. Her supervisor began handing her papers—seven in total—all of them nominations from her former students who had recently graduated in May. The surprise was emotional, heartfelt, and humbling. In front of her current students and colleagues, Cohee was told that she had not only been nominated, but was also named a top-three finalist for the national DAISY Award, which celebrates nurses who go above and beyond in compassionate patient care and clinical education.
“[My supervisor] handed me all these papers. I’m like, ‘What are these?’ And she was like, ‘Oh, you need to read them. They’re from all your students,’” Cohee recalled.
What followed was a wave of gratitude, shock, and reflection. Her current students were there to witness it all—making the moment even more special for Cohee, who prides herself on building authentic relationships with every student she mentors.
“I’m not usually speechless. And in that moment, all I could think was, ‘wow, did this really just happen?’” she said. “To say that I was heartfelt was an understatement … because it’s two different worlds. We’re academically with Ivy Tech, and we’re guests at St. Vincent’s. For them to want to share their journey in this capacity – I was just really surprised.”
A Nontraditional Path to Nursing
Cohee’s road to nursing wasn’t paved with early career certainty. A native of Sharpsville, Indiana, she started nursing school at Ivy Tech Kokomo at the age of 30. At that time, she was already a mother, working with adults who had disabilities. The shift into healthcare came after a deeply personal experience that left an indelible mark on her.
She watched as her father-in-law received a life-saving heart transplant at St. Vincent, and the exceptional care he received left her feeling inspired—and indebted.
“They gave my son his Pap for 10 extra years,” she said, tears forming. “That kindness made me think, ‘I want to do this for others too.’”
This singular experience ignited a calling in her. She didn’t just want to be a nurse—she wanted to be part of the very hospital that had given her family more time together. After graduation, she joined Ascension St. Vincent, where she has remained ever since.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Cohee took a role in the ICU, facing a torrent of emotionally and physically exhausting challenges. The burnout was real and persistent. Even after earning her master’s degree and credentials to become a nurse practitioner, something inside her kept tugging her in a different direction.
“Nursing found me when I needed it … Then teaching fell in my lap. Even after getting my NP degree, I realized this is where my heart is,” she said.
Creating Nurses Who Think and Feel
It’s that heart—which she wears on her sleeve—that makes Cohee such a unique presence in clinical instruction. She doesn’t just focus on checklists and procedures. For her, nursing is as much about emotional resilience and compassion as it is about technical skill.
She integrates real-life lessons into her hospital-based clinicals. Chaplains are invited to speak to students about the emotional weight of healthcare, and students are encouraged to confront the uncomfortable, personal reactions they may have when facing loss, trauma, or the unexpected.
“Nursing is raw. It’s hard,” she said. “I want students to process their emotions, not just the skills.”
“When a code ends and the patient dies, you’re left alone with your thoughts, replaying everything. If we don’t teach students to handle those emotions and care for themselves, we’ve failed them,” she continued. “Students will encounter things that are triggers for them – maybe a cancer patient, or an abuse case, or an alcoholic, or a hospice patient … I want to teach them how to manage that. At school, they learn textbook stuff, but in clinicals? That’s where we process the hard stuff.”
That approach resonates with her students in deeply personal ways. In one clinical session, a student nervously admitted he wasn’t confident performing central line dressing changes. Instead of brushing him off, Cohee improvised a teaching tool—taping a mock central line to her own arm so they could practice together.
“We practiced three or four times until his hands stopped shaking,” she remembered. “What’s a little tape on my arm compared to his confidence?”
That act of humility and commitment didn’t go unnoticed. It symbolized exactly what she wants to instill in future nurses: confidence, compassion, and a willingness to support each other in the hardest moments.
“That’s the heart of nursing,” she said. “It’s not just skills—it’s showing up in ways they’ll remember when they’re alone with a patient.”
Students Echo Her Influence
Her nomination wasn’t just a result of a single kind gesture—it was the accumulation of years of meaningful connections. The seven students who nominated her didn’t hold back in their praise.
Emma Mahoney, a member of the class of 2025, wrote:
“…I could list off over one million reasons why Mrs. Cohee is one of the most deserving nurses to win a DAISY, but here are just a few of those reasons. She has taught me so much about how to treat patients out in the real world. She has taught me how important it is to meet our patients where they are, not where we want them to be… She reminds us that we are all human, and that everyone deserves unbiased, compassionate care despite their life choices, medical history, religion, race, sexual orientation, gender or how often they come to the hospital…”
Other students echoed similar sentiments.
“She has a profound commitment to her students and our growth as future nurses,” said Karmen Franklin. “She takes the time to ensure we understand not only the technical skills but also the importance of empathy in patient care.”
“She provides really good feedback whenever we make mistakes and doesn’t make us feel less of a nurse,” added Kasope Salau.
“Mrs. Cohee is the kind of nurse that I would love to be one day,” wrote La’Bria Williams.
Each testimonial painted a picture of an instructor who doesn’t just check boxes or hand out grades—she shapes the people her students become.
“I had no idea my students were doing this,” Cohee said. “To feel like I impacted them enough that my students took the time to nominate me … it’s an incredible honor.”
While Cohee did not take home the final DAISY Award—this year’s recognition went to a mother-baby nurse—her placement as a top-three finalist was, in itself, a significant accomplishment. Clinical instructors, her supervisor pointed out, are rarely nominated for the award, let alone ranked among the top.
“There are so many wonderful nurses that do tremendous things … Just being in the top three, I’m humbled,” Cohee said.
Teaching for the Long Haul
Looking ahead, Cohee has no plans of slowing down. She will return to teaching clinicals this fall, and as always, she will keep her focus on those “lightbulb moments” that happen when students finally connect what they’ve read in textbooks to the fast-paced, emotional world of real hospital work.
“I live for the lightbulb moments when they figure out how point A gets to point C,” she said.
And as always, she will continue doing what she does best: showing up, listening, and making her students feel seen.
“If they leave my class knowing how to think independently and care deeply, I’ve done my job.”
About the DAISY Award
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was created to recognize the incredible compassion nurses bring to their patients and the communities they serve. At Ivy Tech, the award has honored three members in the past five years: students Lisa Barger and Kyleigh Fehlinger, and Evansville faculty member Maureen Wojciechowski. Cohee now joins that esteemed list of nominees, a testament to her remarkable impact on the next generation of nurses.
To learn more about Ivy Tech’s School of Nursing, visit ivytech.edu/nursing.
