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October 23, 2009

Nurses recognized at Memorial

Submitted by Memorial Heath Care System

Nurses at Memorial Health Care System are being honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award, presented in collaboration with The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) is part of the DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform everyday. The Award at Memorial Health Care System is co-sponsored by Bojangles’ Famous Chicken and Biscuits.

The first award recipient at Memorial is Gail Smith from 100 South. Ms. Smith was nominated by one of her patients who wanted to commend the extraordinary care she delivered. Ms. Smith’s patient stated that she had never received this type of compassionate care and if ever hospitalized again, hopes to be admitted to 100 South at Memorial Health Care System in the care of Ms. Smith.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. 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. 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.

Each month, a nurse will be selected by Memorial Health Care System’s Nurse Professional Growth and Retention Committee, a shared governance nursing committee, to receive The DAISY Award. At a presentation given in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors, the honoree will receive a certificate commending her or him for being 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." The honoree will also be given a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

One day while Pat was in the hospital, he asked his family to bring him a cinnamon roll plus enough for all the nurses in his unit. With the help locally of Bojangles in Chattanooga, The DAISY Foundation carries on this tradition by serving a cinnamon treat to all the nurses in the Award recipient’s unit in thanks for everything they do for their patients and families.

Said Bonnie Barnes, 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 acutely ill patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Memorial Health Care System are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

Said Chief Nursing Executive Diona Brown, “We are proud to be among the hospitals participating in the DAISY Award program. Nurses are heroes everyday. Given the current national nursing shortage, The DAISY Award could not be launched at a better time. It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that.”

Memorial Health Care System is among 332 hospitals committed to The DAISY Award program. For a complete listing of hospitals currently running the program, please go to www.DAISYfoundation.org

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation whose overall goal is to help fight diseases of the immune system. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and provides assistance to ITP support groups. More information is available on their website www.DAISYfoundation.org.

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