D
elta, CO (March 1, 2021) – Delta Health’s nursing leadership team came together to honor and recognize their extraordinary nurses and healthcare staff with the new “Healer’s Touch” sculpture, a hand-carved serpentine piece of stone by artists of the Shona tribe in Zimbabwe, featured in the main lobby of the hospital.
Funding for the sculpture was donated to the hospital’s foundation by Josh Patterson and Altitude Outdoor Adventures. The sculptures are created for Daisy Foundation members and are especially meaningful because of the profound respect the Shona people pay to their tribal healers.
“We are so proud of our team of healthcare workers who work hard every single day to inspire hope by providing remarkable care in a healing environment,” said Jody Roeber, Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for Delta Health. “This sculpture is our way of lifting them up and providing them that same inspiration and hope that they provide our patients and community members with.”
Each quarter, Delta Health conducts a Daisy Award ceremony where nurses are recognized and out of all the nominations, one nurse receives a small “Healer’s Touch,” sculpture for their home. Nurses are nominated by anyone in the organization from patients to family members, fellow nurses, physicians, other clinicians and staff, or anyone who experiences compassionate, quality care being provided by a nurse.
“When Delta Health joined the Daisy Foundation, we were particularly interested in a larger version of the “Healer’s Touch,” sculpture because it symbolizes the relationship between nurses, patients and families,” said Dawn Arnett, RN, BSN, Director of Inpatient Services and Daisy Coordinator for Delta Health. “To the team, it was more than just a sculpture, and we wanted to bring the full-size sculpture to our facility to recognize all of our extraordinary healthcare workers.”
The process to have a larger version of the sculpture at Delta Health was made possible through a charitable donation by Patterson to the Delta County Memorial Hospital (DCMH) Foundation Nurse’s Fund in 2020. The funding also helped support the set up and presentation of the sculpture in the main hospital lobby.
“The Nurses Fund was set up to support the exceptional nurses at Delta Health,” said Kaitlyn Jones, Director of the DCMH Foundation. “The community support that provided the “Healers Touch” is truly a testament to the heart our nurses demonstrate on a daily basis.”
With the help of Colorado Stone Quarries and Morris Monument, the sculpture was delivered to Delta Health on February 12.
The sculpture delivered to Delta Health and made in Zimbabwe was one of only four that were sent to the United States late spring. The process to make the sculptures takes three weeks or more, and the Daisy Foundation’s purchase of these sculptures has become important to the Shona people who carve the beautiful pieces and often helps support them and their families.
“We feel very fortunate not only to have the sculpture funded but that we were able to receive one,” said Arnett. “Many laborious hours were needed to make the perfect granite stand with additional marble that was also donated as well as the amazing artwork put on the marble to recognize the DAISY and BEE programs at Delta Health. “
The Daisy and Bee Programs at Delta Health which recognize both nursing and non-nursing healthcare staff, are great morale boosters and provide inspiration for the staff, said Arnett.
“Our nursing leadership began looking at the Daisy Foundation program to recognize nurses in mid-2018 because we knew right away we wanted to bring the program to our healthcare system,” said Arnett. “It’s a great way to honor and spotlight nurses. The programs really are inspirational.”
Delta Health’s effort at expressing personal, heartfelt appreciation to its entire healthcare team has an impact. It’s important for the team to know that they make a difference in all the lives they touch and it’s having a powerful effect, said Arnett.
The sculpture is a constant reminder to all of the Delta Health healthcare staff of just how special they are and how important and vital their work is to the community.
The Healer’s Touch sculpture is currently in the main lobby of the hospital. To learn more about the Daisy Foundation visit daisyfoundation.org and to learn more about the Daisy and BEE programs at Delta Health or to nominate a healthcare worker, visit deltahealthco.org/bee-daisy-awards/. You can also donate to the DCMH Foundation by visiting dcmhfoundation.org.
