Delta, CO (February 7, 2025) – Six nurses at Delta Health were honored with nominations for The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®, to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every single day, at a ceremony at the Hospital on Wednesday, January 29.
This quarter’s DAISY nominees were the following nurses: David Broadhead, RN, Mindy Smith, RN, Kristi Gieck, RN, Mercedes Zunich, RN, Timothy Davies, RN, and Amber Ham, RN.
The overall DAISY Award winner for this quarter was David Brodhead, a Registered Nurse in Delta Health’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
“David exemplifies the highest standards of care, compassion, and skill,” said Felicia Grant, RN, and Director of Delta Health’s ICU/CCU. “He goes above and beyond every day. His unwavering commitment to both his patients and his colleagues makes him a true cornerstone of the ICU. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as a part of our team.”
David was nominated by a co-worker and was recognized for his caring and empathetic way of nursing. The letter says how, “No matter what is going on with the patient, David takes the time to understand and make the patient feel safe. I can’t even count how many times I have taken over care of a patient from him who has sung his praises to me about how they felt safe and cared for.”
The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize nurses who go above and beyond in the care of their patients. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues, and the quarterly DAISY award recipient is chosen through a select Daisy Committee and a scoring rubric recognizing the nurses’ P.E.T.A.L.S., (Passion, Empathy, Trust, Admirable attributes, Love, and Selflessness). Applications are blinded to the committee and scored. Awards are then presented four times throughout the year to celebrate the nominees.
“Over the years, over 300 nominations have been received for Delta Health Nursing Staff and recognized at Delta Health for the Daisy Award,” said Dawn Arnett, BSN, RN, Director of In-Patient Services Med/Surg at Delta Health and DAISY Award Coordinator. “This was our 25th time awarding a nurse with the “Healers Touch” sculpture. As we move into 2025 this will be our seventh year as members of the Daisy Foundation created by the Patrick Barnes family in 1999.”
The certificate that each honoree receives commends her or him as an “Extraordinary Nurse.” The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees receive a DAISY Award pin and daisy stems. The Daisy Award winner also receives a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. The Healers Touch sculpture represents the bond between nurses and their patients.
The DAISY Foundation is present in over 3,200 organizations across the world. Over 1 million nurses have been nominated, and over 100,000 nurses have received the award. Delta Health is proud to be one of these organizations. To nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award, go online to deltahealthco.org/bee-daisy-awards/ and submit a digital nomination form. Nomination forms can also be found throughout the hospital.
