Daisy Award Winner Kim Zurita Exemplifies Empathy, Compassion, and Comradery

It was fitting that Goldbelt Glacier’s Registered Nurse Kim Zurita received multiple nominations for the DAISY Award during Nurses Week 2025. The prestigious international recognition celebrates nurses who go above and beyond with extraordinary patient care. The nominations came as no surprise to those working alongside Kim at the Naval Health Branch Clinic in Iwakuni, Japan.

Kim has been a cornerstone of care and compassion since joining the clinic in September 2023. Working under Program Manager Jen Juliano as part of the Goldbelt Glacier team, she manages care for nearly 1,000 Marines each month, while supporting seven providers, and overseeing 39 Hospital corpsmen.

Kim started her nursing career in emergency and post-anesthesia care in 2019. She moved to Japan with extensive clinical knowledge and a deep sense of empathy. Whether she’s calling patients with lab results, coordinating sensitive exams, or mentoring corpsmen, Kim consistently leads with both skill and heart.

Her impact extends beyond clinical duties. She runs sexual health education clinics with discretion and compassion. She has created a comprehensive diabetes education packet for the newly diagnosed; and she often spends hours helping families navigate the, sometimes complex, referral system. She helps to foster a positive culture in the clinic, and everyone loves it when she brings baked treats or decorates the clinic for holidays. She can always be relied upon to offer encouragement when it’s needed most.

Kim Zurita, RN, exemplifies the gold standard of nursing every single day, but to her colleagues, Kim is more than a nurse, she’s the steady, uplifting force that helps keep the clinic running and morale high. Her DAISY Award nominations reflect what everyone in Iwakuni already knows: Goldbelt Glacier is proud to have RN Kim Zurita as part of its team, standing for the highest standards of care, professionalism, and compassion.