Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) is partnering with the DAISY Award, an international recognition program honoring nurses who have made a special difference in their patients’ lives.

In collaboration with BVHS Nursing Congress, Jessica Moore, RN, director of inpatient nursing, and Nikki Ballinger, RN, chair of Nursing Congress, will serve as co-coordinators of the program.

“We were brainstorming ways to enhance nurse engagement and celebrate nurses, while allowing our patients and families to express their gratitude for the wonderful care they received,” said Ballinger. “The DAISY Award was the obvious choice. It provides such a meaningful way for nurses to be celebrated for the care they provide and remind them why they became nurses in the first place.”

The DAISY Award was created to honor the late Patrick Barnes, who was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenia) at age 33 in 1999. Pat’s family was moved by the incredible kindness and compassion his nurses demonstrated throughout the eight weeks he was hospitalized. After his death, they created the award to honor him.

Pat’s wife, Tena, developed the acronym DAISY, which stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses began at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance at the University of Washington Medical Center, where Patrick had been a patient. It has since been adopted by thousands of healthcare organizations and schools of nursing in the United States and around the world. The recognition program is run by partner organizations. Nurses may be nominated by anyone, including patients, family members or coworkers.

Each DAISY Honoree is honored at a celebration and receives a certificate in a DAISY portfolio, a beautiful hand-carved “Healer’s Touch” sculpture from Zimbabwe, an honoree pin, a congratulations banner to hang in the unit, a copy of their nomination and a gift bag. Each honoree also receives cinnamon rolls to share, in recognition of the fact that, while Patrick had lost his appetite during his hospitalization, cinnamon rolls were the exception.

For more information, or to nominate a nurse, please visit www.bvhealthsystem.org/DAISYAward