International DAISY Award Recognizes ‘Extraordinary Nurses’
Two Carthage Area Hospital Acute Inpatient Unit (AIU) Nurses received the first nominations of the newly-implemented DAISY Award, which recognizes extraordinary nurses. The award debuted during the hospital’s rescheduled “Hospital Week,” normally reserved for mid-May. The first nominees were announced on July 6th, 2020 to LPNs Nancy Brown and Leah Hitchcock. Each nurse that is nominated is recognized and given a DAISY pin.
Nominations can be submitted throughout the year via a nomination box at any Carthage Hospital facility or online at carthagehospital.com/daisy. Twice a year, a committee selects an exemplary nurse for the DAISY Award from the nominations sent in throughout the year. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues.
“The DAISY Award is an opportunity for our hard-working nurses to be publicly recognized. It’s an award solely reserved for nurses. The award is very timely as it is the ‘Year of the Nurse and the Midwife’ according to the World Health Organization,” said Susan Smith, RN, OB Nurses Manager and DAISY Coordinator.
Nancy Brown, LPN has worked for Carthage Area Hospital for 29 years. She has worked in Ambulatory, ER, and currently in AIU. Nancy was described as “professional” and “compassionate.” She was also said to “go above and beyond to help anyone in need.”
“It’s amazing and a very nice honor,” said Nancy Brown, LPN.
Leah Hitchcock, LPN has worked for Carthage Area Hospital for 28 years. She has worked in the ICU, the former Skilled Nursing Unit, and currently on AIU. Leah’s nomination mentioned how “priceless” her knowledge and experience are to the unit.
“It’s very nice and it’s great to be recognized by your peers,” said Leah Hitchcock, LPN
The DAISY Award will be awarded in December and June each year.
About DAISY
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, 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 may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at Carthage Area Hospital to receive The DAISY Award. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors. Each honoree receives a certificate commending him or 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.