Daisy Award Winners—Recognizing Extraordinary Nurses

DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The DAISY Award was established by the DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at 33 of ITP, an auto-immune disease. The Barnes Family was awestruck by the clinical skills, caring and compassion of the nurses who cared for Patrick, so they created this national award to say thank you to nurses everywhere.

Anyone can nominate a nurse for the DAISY Award. The DAISY Award committee selects one nurse who exemplifies the following characteristics each month:

• Established a special connection with a patient/family
• Has significantly made a difference in the life of a patient
• Shows empathy in all situations
• Is an outstanding role model for the nursing profession
• Generates enthusiasm and energy towards meeting the challenges of nursing
• Consistently exhibits excellent interpersonal skills
• Exemplifies the essence of professional nursing in all activities

Each month’s winner receives a nominee pin, a DAISY Award recipient pin, a Healer’s Touch hand carved statue and an award certificate. In addition, the selected nurse’s unit receives a banner to post for the month and freshly baked cinnamon rolls for everyone on the day the award is presented.

GMC Recipients of the DAISY Award

April 2013

Danielle Verela, who works in the High Risk Pregnancy Unit at the Gwinnett Women’s Pavilion, was nominated for care she provided at a different hospital. The nomination includes a beautiful story that illustrates how compassionate care makes a difference in the lives of our patients. Sixteen years ago Danielle cared for a mother and her premature baby in Florida, and the mother declared that should she ever have a girl, she would name her after the “angel” that cared for her. “It gets better,” reads the nomination, “She discovered (while delivering her baby girl here at GMC) that our own, Danielle, from HRPU is and was [her] angel from 16 years ago!” When the baby was born, the patient named her Faith Patricia Danielle. Congratulations, Danielle, and thank you for providing great care then and now!  

March 2013

Jennifer Cary, who works in the Center for Neuroscience at GMC-Lawrenceville, was nominated by a patient’s family member. The nomination read: “The care and sensitivity shown to my family member’s wife was outstanding. My family member had a traumatic brain injury and had been taken off life support. The nurse offered to turn off the monitor so his wife could focus on him. The nurse showed his wife how to moisten his lips and help out when she saw that his wife just wanted to care for him.” Thanks, Jennifer, for all you do for our patients! 

February 2013

Shelley Hinote, who works in the ICU at GMC–Lawrenceville, was nominated by a patient’s family. The nomination read, “This nurse established a special connection with my brother and me while he was in the ICU. My brother was on a ventilator for several days, then extubated. He could barely get up and sit in a chair, but with this nurse’s help and enthusiastic, outstanding, professional care, he was able to walk around the nurse’s station with all kinds of tubes hanging from him. He was also very confused, but this nurse maintained great interpersonal skills with him to get through this period. This nurse is an excellent nurse and a great role model for the profession.” Thanks, Shelley, for all you do for our patients!

January 2013

Jenny Bloomfield, a nurse from 4 North, was nominated by both a patient and an associate. In part, the nomination read, “When this person is in charge, she is a great help to everyone, a great resource person and team player. No matter how busy she is, this nurse is always there when we need help.” And, “She is caring and knowledgeable and gives the best care possible to her patients.” Thanks, Jenny, for all you do for our patients and for your fellow associates!

View our previous Daisy Award winners.