Hocking Valley Community Hospital awarded two nurses The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses during Nurses Week.
Several nominations were received throughout the year for the award, which was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
This year’s winners were Amanda Davis, RN, Emergency Department, and Maddie Johnson, RN, Inpatient Services.
Amanda’s nomination read:
“After being seen in the emergency department for a new and scary issue, I will let you know now, I will return to HVCH for care. My nurse in the ER was Amanda. I was quickly brought back and hooked up and told my heart rhythm was in SVT and then in and out of A-Fib. I have never had heart issues in my life, and my anxiety and heart rate were at an all-time high! Amanda explained everything to me from the type of rhythm I had, every medication she gave and the reason for giving them, and never once hesitated to answer my questions. I am not an easy person to deal with. I was being complicated, and she made me feel safe, comfortable, and never made me feel like an idiot for my actions or questions.
I also heard her talking to her other patients on both sides of me, and the professionalism this woman has is amazing. She made people laugh at times they may have been feeling scared. HVCH is lucky to have her in their ER. She explained everything to my husband and reassured him as well. Amanda is the jack of all trades when it comes to being a nurse! I will be forever grateful for her compassion and love for her job, and I will never hesitate to return to your hospital.”
Maddie’s nomination read:
“Maddie had waited all day to receive my family member from OSU, but OSU kept pushing back the transport time. Maddie studied his records from OSU rigorously because he still had a lot going on and she wanted to be prepared and provide him the best care she could. Maddie had printed notes out and had gone through and highlighted stuff; she truly studied his record! She was wonderful to him and other family members. She did her best to reassure them and talk through his symptoms and reached out to the hospitalist to come lay eyes on him because she was concerned about him. The point is, she was fiercely advocating for him. As you know, true compassion and empathy can’t be taught, and Maddie genuinely has these qualities! Even though her time with our family was brief, she truly made an impact.”
“This recognition reflects the compassion, professionalism, and extraordinary care our nurses provide to patients and families every day,” Beth Kluding, HVCH Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operations Officer, said. “Your dedication to nursing excellence makes a lasting difference in our community, and we are proud to celebrate the impact you make through every interaction.”
During the awards ceremony, HVCH announced a new award for nursing support staff at the hospital. The BEE Award (Being Exceptional Every Day) is now open to nominations from the extraordinary care and support provided by non-nursing team members.
“Just as the daisy cannot survive without the bee, exceptional care depends on teamwork,” Kluding explained.
Nomination pages for both awards can be found on the hospital’s website at https://www.hvch.org/daisy-bee-awards/. For a complete listing of healthcare organizations currently running the national DAISY program, visit http://DAISYfoundation.org.