Gordon Hospital to recognize outstanding nurses with DAISY Award

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Pictured from left to right: Gordon Hospital Nurse Educator Tonya Turner, RN, BSN, and Chief Nursing Officer Amy Jordon, RN, MSN, work a DAISY Award kickoff table in the hospitals cafeteria educating employees, patients, and visitors about the DAISY Award.

Gordon Hospital is proud to be a DAISY Award Partner, recognizing one of our nurses with this special honor quarterly throughout the year. This award is part of the DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the super-human tasks nurses perform every day.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, California, 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. (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.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night," said Bonnie Barnes, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. "Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work nurses are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award."

"In the past, we have recognized our extraordinary nurses with our annual HEART of Nursing Award," said Amy Jordon, chief nursing officer for Gordon Hospital. "This year, we decided to implement the DAISY Award as a way to highlight more of our outstanding nurses. We have so many care providers who exemplify our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ. Additionally, we wanted to involve the community in recognizing these exemplary nurses. Who better knows a great nurse-patient story than the patients themselves?"

Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians, and other employees may nominate a deserving nurse for The DAISY Award.

"Each quarter, a nurse will be selected by Gordon Hospitals DAISY committee to receive The DAISY Award," said Tonya Turner, RN. "Each honoree will be recognized at a public ceremony in her/his unit and will receive a beautiful certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a stone sculpture titled A Healers Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa."

Additionally, everyone in the unit will celebrate with Cinnabon cinnamon rolls a favorite of Patricks during his illness. The Barnes Family asks that whenever and wherever nurses smell that wonderful cinnamon aroma, they stop for a moment and think about how special they are.

If you or a loved one have been a patient at Gordon Hospital and would like to nominate an extraordinary nurse for the DAISY Award, visit www.gordonhospital.com to download a nomination form, or call 706-602-7800 x2258.

To find out more about the program, including the growing list of partners, please go to www.DAISYfoundation.org.

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