Delta, CO (February, 18 2019) – Nurses at Delta Health (Delta Health) were honored Friday, February 15, 2019 with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day.
The Fourteen Delta Health DAISY recognized nominee RN recipients were: Misty Armendariz, April Bonata, David Brodhead, DeEtta Frank, Rhonda Galvin, Lisa Garcia, Cindy Hirsch, Elizabeth Knob, Cristina Liddick, Tiffany Morford, Taneesha Rodriguez, Lorie Spencer Kelsey Stark and Kathy Wiley.
The DAISY Award Winner for this quarter overall was April Bonata, RN, a Medical/Surgical nurse nominated by two of her patients. The application letters highlighted her compassionate care and ability to listen, along with a positive attitude and researching unanswered questions. “April demonstrated compassion by listening skills and straightforward approach to answering my questions and explaining drug effects and treatments as well as the desired outcomes of treatments. Her empathy and team work were noted…[Her] patience with a myriad of questions excellent communication skills, a funny sense of humor and amazing kindness are some of her admirable attributes.
“She demonstrates patience, love of nursing and selflessness by putting her patients’ needs first. She loves her job and it shows, “said Dawn Arnett, Medical/Surgical Unit Nurse Manager, “April is dedicated to her profession and demonstrates daily how she engages in patient care at the bedside. I am honored to have her recognized and so proud of her compassionate care.”
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) 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.
Nurses can be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The quarterly DAISY award recipient is chosen through a select Daisy Committee and Delta Health’s T.E.A.M. M.A.S.H through a scoring rubric recognizing the nurses P.E.T.A.L.S. (Passion, Empathy, Trust, Admirable attributes, Love and Selflessness). Applications are blinded to these committees and scored. Awards are presented four times throughout the year at celebrations attended by the Honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending him/her 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 also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.
Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do.”
“The kind of work the nurses at Delta Health are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award,” commented Daisy Coordinator Dawn Arnett. “We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in The DAISY Award program. Nurses are heroes every day. It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that.”
This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at https://DAISYfoundation.org
