Caption: DAISY Award Winners and Nurse Leadership in the display gardens at Rutland Regional Medical Center.
Vermont Business Magazine Perhaps the greatest recognition for a nurse to receive is the DAISY Award and especially during National Nurses Week. Rutland Regional celebrated four extraordinary nurses and one nurse team this week at a ceremony in the hospital gardens with nurse leaders, nursing staff and patients and their families.
The DAISY (an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation was started in Glen Allen, California by family members of J. Patrick Barnes, who died from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. As a way of thanking Barnes’ nurses, his family established the award program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses everywhere perform every day.
Throughout the year, nurses are nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. At Rutland Regional, all nominations are thoroughly reviewed by the Nursing Shared Governance Council. This year, nurses representing Ambulatory Care, Intensive Care, Progressive Care and Psychiatric Care received DAISY awards. The DAISY Team Award went to members of the Medical Oncology Unit.
DAISY Team Award: The Medical Oncology Unit (MOU) was honored with this year’s DAISY Team Award. The award is provided annually in recognition of a care team, led by a nurse, that has gone above and beyond to provide extraordinary patient care. The award recognizes that collaboration and teamwork are key to providing patients with high-quality care and a positive experience. Many members of the MOU team were mentioned including Sam Roberts, RN, RN-BC Ashley Bergendahl, RN, RN-BC, Linda Crisafulli, RN, Jennifer Kavanaugh, RN, Crystal Bennick, BSN, RN, CRNI, Eva Zivitz, MSN, RN, CHPN, Julia Gero, LNA, Tammy Mills, LNA, Mariah McCully, LNA and Patricia Church, LNA. In the nomination, the patient shared, “This team is a true example of teamwork and trust. They support each other and speak highly of their team members. Our questions were addressed and if they didn’t know the answer, one would be found. The entire hospital stay we were treated with respect. There was always a knock on the door, always an introduction, honesty and transparency. We were allowed family time in order to process what was happening. We were given time to grieve and supported when we needed it.”
DAISY Individual Award Honorees are selected and recognized for the extraordinary compassionate care that they provide to patients in their practice environment.
These are the four Individual Award Honorees:
Naomi Chamberlain, RN, Ambulatory Care Unit: Naomi was nominated by a patient for her kind and compassionate care. In her nomination, the patient’s daughter shared, “Naomi took such compassionate, kind, and dedicated care of my dad, allowing him to maintain his dignity, independence, and stubbornness. She was also extremely concerned about checking in and making sure that I was okay.”
Erin Flood, BSN, RN, Intensive Care Unit: Erin was nominated for her cool, calm and
compassionate care when dealing with a particularly difficult patient. Her nomination form stated, “She was always patient and kind even though the patients are very physically and emotionally draining. She takes patients for walks outside and you can see the sparkle in the patients’ eyes when they come back to their room.”
Angela Murphy, MSN, RN, Progressive Care Unit: Angela was nominated by two different patient families for her sensitivity and compassion. One nomination stated, “Angela was compassionate and sensitive when my father decided to transition to comfort measures only. She exceeded our expectations because she also took care of my mother by providing emotional support during a very sad and challenging time for our family.” A second nomination highlighted Angela’s patience and professional and calm manner with a patient’s complicated medication needs. “Angela very professionally and with a calm demeanor, went over all the particulars and assured both of us that his meds would be properly administered during his stay. She is an outstanding nurse and my husband, and I take our hats off to her, with respect and gratitude.”
Suzanne Boothby, RN, Psychiatric Services Inpatient Unit: Suzanne also received two nominations. One patient praised Suzanne stating, “Suzanne took the time to sit with me when I wanted to leave against medical advice. She promised I would have a better tomorrow and would help me. For some reason I trusted her. By getting me to stay, I got tests done and the care and received medication changes that I needed. Suzanne saved my life in more ways than she knows.” The second nomination called out her exceptional nursing skills. “I was having problems breathing and she asked to take a listen. She got the doctor who said I was having heart failure. I had an EKG, ultrasound, and blood work. The doctor gave me medicine to help with my heart and made me feel better. Suzanne saved my life because I could have had a heart attack.”
About the DAISY Award
The DAISY Award is one initiative of the not-for-profit DAISY Foundation whose overall goal is to help fight diseases of the immune system. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and provides assistance to ITP support groups. More information is available on their website www.DAISYfoundation.org, or contact Bonnie Barnes, President/Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, at (707) 996-7936 or at [email protected]. To nominate a Rutland Regional Medical Center nurse for the DAISY Award visit: https://www.rrmc.org/patient-visitors/daisy-award/nomination-form/
About Rutland Regional Medical Center: Rutland Regional Medical Center the largest community hospital in Vermont and is supported by a medical staff of 256 physicians, nurse practitioners and advanced practice providers trained in 37 specialty areas. The 144-bed hospital is supported by approximately 1,700 employees. With a strong patient-centered focus, consistent quality performance, Magnet® Nursing Recognition, and award-winning care, Rutland Regional remains dedicated to improving the health of families and individuals throughout portions of southern and central Vermont and communities in eastern New York State with preventative, diagnostic, acute and rehabilitative services.
Source: RUTLAND, VT – RRMC 5.11.2023.
