DAISY Award Recognizes Outstanding Nurses at Anderson
Filling one of the most vital roles in a healthcare system, nurses are often unsung heroes. There are countless stories about nurses who go the extra mile by responding to requests and completing tasks that are often outside the scope of their nursing duties. These nurses often reply, “I didn’t do anything special,” when they truly made a difference in the life of their patient.
Anderson is making sure these remarkable individuals are acknowledged by implementing the internationally recognized DAISY Award program. This program rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by Anderson nurses every day.
DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The DAISY Foundation was formed by the family of Patrick Barnes as a way to honor the nurses that provided quality and compassionate care to Patrick during the final stages of his battle with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).
DAISY Award honorees personify Anderson Regional Health System’s dedication to the exceptional patient experience. These nurses consistently demonstrate excellence in their work, and they are recognized as outstanding role models. Each honoree will be recognized in her/his unit and will receive a beautiful certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved stone sculpture entitled A Healer’s Touch. Additionally, everyone in the unit will celebrate with cinnamon rolls made with Makara cinnamon – a favorite of Patrick’s during his illness. The Barnes Family asks that whenever and wherever nurses smell that wonderful cinnamon aroma, they stop for a moment and think about how special they are.
Criteria used to nominate a recipient for The DAISY Award include:
- Comforting, calm and communicative when patients and families are most vulnerable
- Exhibits clinical expertise and the essence of nursing
- Has made a significant difference in a patient’s life
- Provides compassionate nursing care while paying close attention to the emotional and psychological needs of their patients and families
- Extraordinary skill and kindness, selflessly rendered; an unsung hero
- Makes the patient feel secure and confident in the care they receive
- Listens with their heart, passionate about their work and puts the needs of others above their own
