On October 17, Southern Regional Medical Center honored an exceptional RN as part of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® program and an exceptional EMT as part of the BEE Award in recognition of non-nursing support personnel. The DAISY award is based on the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate care that nurses provide patients and families every day. And the BEE (Being Exceptional Everyday) recognizes and honors non-nursing support personnel that demonstrate principles such as integrity, compassion, teamwork, respect, kindness, sincerity and creating the best experience for their patients.
Thomas Marks, RN, from the Emergency Department, was honored as the hospital’s 3rd Quarter, 2023, DAISY Award recipient. He was honored for his tireless dedication to the ED and for going above and beyond in all they do for our patients. A patient wrote about how: Thomas quickly got me the help I needed. He did so in a caring and compassionate way toward me and to all of the patients he treated. The nomination acknowledged that one of the biggest needs today is for more staff – nurses, doctors, nurse practitioners, support staff and allied health professionals, but Thomas did not let the fact have any impact on the many patients he was handling – they all received outstanding care without a hint that they felt overwhelmed or short staff. The nominee stated that Thomas smiled, delivered high-quality care, and made certain that regardless of the circumstances of the day or the moment, that this patient and every patient felt as if they were the only patient in their care. It is this kind of outstanding care that aligns with the DAISY Award.
The hospital’s first BEE Award was presented to Melissa Munoz, EMT, in the Emergency Department. Melissa was honored for being an amazing team player who is always willing to go the extra mile. Her nominations stated: She is an amazing asset to the ED. She starts IVs, she’s in the rooms anticipating staff and patient needs. She is very knowledgeable on our stroke protocols and is always present when there’s a code to get that line in fast. Melissa is known for taking time to help and teach others and happily does whatever needs to be done to provide the best care to the Emergency Department patients.
“We are truly proud of both Southern Regional Emergency Department team members – our dedicated Nurse and EMT,” states Southern Regional’s Chief Nursing Officer Janie Hinton. “It’s team members like Thomas Marks, RN, and Melissa Munoz, EMT, that are the everyday heroes providing quality, compassionate care to our emergent patients who are facing some of the most challenging healthcare moments in their lives. These extraordinary clinicians make all the difference in those patients lives.”
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 (ITP), 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 for a DAISY Award by patients, families, and colleagues, and recipients are chosen by a committee at Southern Regional. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her or him as an “Extraordinary Nurse,” 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, and sweet treats.
In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of direct care Nurses, Nurse-led Teams, Nurse Leaders, Nursing Faculty, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. For more information go to: http://DAISYfoundation.org.
The BEE Award is related to the DAISY Award and recognizes the interdependence of each entity on the other. A DAISY cannot survive and cannot bloom without a BEE and a BEE cannot survive without a DAISY. The BEE (Being Exceptional Everyday) Award recognizes and honors exceptional personnel in non-nursing support roles. The BEE Award recipient receives a framed certificate, BEE Award pin, and special gifts of thanks.