 |
|
PHOTO: (l. to r.) Noyes Health Nurse Educator Heather
Burritt, RN; DAISY Award recipient Robert Flansburg, RN; Chief Nursing Officer
Tammy West, RN; CEO Amy Pollard, RN; Director of Quality and Compliance Tim
Peterson, RN; Amanda Mehlenbacher, IS; Director of Acute Care Patty Derowitsch,
RN; ICU Nurse Manager Sharon Draper, RN.
|
Dansville, New York – Robert Flansburg, an overnight nurse
in the Holroyd Intensive Care Unit at Noyes Health in Dansville, was awarded
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ® at a ceremony Thursday. The award is
part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate
nursing care they provide patients and families every day.
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.
A grateful patient nominated Mr. Flansburg to receive the
award. The patient, admitted in an emergent situation, noted that Mr. Flansburg
“tuned into the patient’s needs, my personality, my individual needs and wants.
He asked me about my work life and experience, my hobbies, likes, and dislikes…
Upon getting this information, he would include this information into our daily
conversations. Knowing that I enjoyed playing poker, he bought me a deck of
playing cards. Hearing that I was retired military, he talked about his
military experiences and allowed me to remember my own military life… All of
the ICU staff were great, but Bob stood out because he focused on the
individual needs of the patient while ensuring that the medical and nursing
needs were delivered in an outstanding way.” Nurses may be nominated by
patients, families, and colleagues. The recipient is chosen by a committee at
Noyes which reviews nominations and determines the recipient of 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 her or him 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.
Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, 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 patients every day and
night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary,
compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Noyes Health are
called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.” Said
Noyes’ Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services Tammy West,
“We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in The
DAISY Award program. Nurses are heroes every day. It’s important that our
nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a
way for us to do that.” This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to
express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J.
Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice
Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty
members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for
nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.
