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DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses

DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses (Partner)

Athol Hospital Partners with the DAISY Program to Recognize Extraordinary Nurses

Athol Hospital is pleased to announce its partnership with the Nurses at Athol Hospital are being honored with The DAISY Foundation, a program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

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.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues and winners will be chosen by a committee of nurses at Athol Hospital. The award will be presented annually at a presentation in front of the awardee’s colleagues, physicians, patients and visitors.

Each Honoree will receive a certificate commending her or him for being 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." The award winner will also be given a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

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 work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Athol Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

Tina Griffin, COO & VP for Patient Care Services at Athol Hospital shared that “Athol Hospital is 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.”

For a complete listing of healthcare organizations currently running the program, please go to http://DAISYfoundation.org

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation in service 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.