Othello nurse receives DAISY Award
The five nurses nominated for the DAISY Award from left are Kari Blaak, Kathi Trussel, Barbie Dailey and Linda Bork. Mark and Bonnie Barnes are also pictured. Not pictured, Jane Zyph. Photo by Bob Kirkpatrick.
By Bob Kirkpatrick
Editor
Barbara Dailey, a registered nurse at the Othello Community Hospital, is the first local recipient of the DAISY Award, which recognizes nurses around the country for the service they provide to their patients. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
Dailey was one of five nurses nominated for the award.
The DAISY Foundation was formed in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes to honor those who cared for J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).
“We brainstormed what to do in Pat’s memory and the only real thing we could hold onto from the experience of his eight-week illness was the skillful and amazing compassionate care he received from his nurses,” co-founder Bonnie Barnes said. “Every nurse who came into his room was clinically excellent and had the ability to deal with complex technology and assessing his condition, but the most amazing thing about them that blew us away was their compassion, kindness, sensitivity and communication with Pat and the family proved to us they are really unsung heroes.”
Wanting to establish a program to honor nurses nationwide, the foundation took its message to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and asked them to pilot the program. As of today more than 100 hospitals are taking part. The staff at OCH was looking for ways to thank their nurses for the outstanding job they are doing and the care offered to its patients, so the DAISY Award seemed appropriate and they decided to follow suit.
“The certificate proclaims her as an ‘Extraordinary Nurse’,” Jaime Lehman, charge nurse, said. “She also received a hand-carved sculpture from the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe, titled ‘A Healers Touch’ and a special DAISY Award pin.”
Part of the celebration typically includes a round of Cinnabons, but since there is no outlet in the area, Lehman said the hospital plans to improvise a bit.
‘We’ve made arrangements to purchase a jar of the same cinnamon they use and have someone locally make the cinnamon rolls,” she said. “We are hoping to make this an annual event. We may even award it twice a year.”
As of July 2009, more than 4,500 nurses have received the DAISY Award. Four hundred-forty three hospitals in the U.S. and Canada honor nurses with DAISY awards monthly.
Those wanting to nominate a nurse at OCH for future DAISY Awards, Lehman, said can pick up the forms at the hospital and either drop them off there or mail them in.
Short URL: http://othellooutlook.com/?p=6463
Posted by Bob Kirkpatrick
on Nov 18 2009. Filed under Community, Othello Community Hospital.
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