The cardiac rehabilitation team at Mercy Hospital Washington was honored with the DAISY Team Award for Extraordinary Nursing at a presentation ceremony on Dec. 30. The team was nominated for the award by a patient who had been in their care at Mercy Hospital Washington. This marked the first time the annual award was presented to a team in Washington.
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, 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. 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.
The DAISY Team Award recognizes that efforts to achieve better patient and family outcomes may start with an individual, but often take an entire team to implement successfully. It also honors collaboration by a team of two or more, led by a nurse, who identify and meet patient and/or patient family needs by going above and beyond the traditional role of nursing.
Nursing teams may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues and they are chosen by a committee of nurses at Mercy Hospital Washington to receive The DAISY Team Award. The team award is given once per year at a presentation given in front of the teams’ colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors. Each team honored will receive a certificate commending them for being an “Extraordinary Nursing Team.” 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.”
“It was such an honor to be able to present the first DAISY Team award,” said Bethany Westlake, chief nursing officer, Mercy Hospital Washington. “The cardiac rehab team provides a team approach everyday by providing spiritual, emotional, and individual care. The DAISY Foundation provides us an avenue to show our co-workers how their everyday work makes an extraordinary impact on those we serve.”
