Washakie Medical Center nurse and CNO honored with DAISY awards

WORLAND - Two Banner Washakie Medical Center employees were honored with national DAISY awards at a ceremony during National Nurse's Week on Thursday, May 12.

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.

Banner Washakie Medical Center Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Van Brunt earned the DAISY Nurse Leader Award and Thao Doan received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

LEADER AWARD

The DAISY Nurse Leader Award recognizes nurses who are extraordinary in the impact they have on compassionate patient care. It was noted that Van Brunt checks all the requirements of the award by impacting staff and/or the patient care they manage by:

•Role modeling extraordinary behavior

•Creating an environment where attributes of trust, compassion, mutual respect, continued professional development and ethical behavior are modeled and supported

•Motivating staff with a shared vision and enthusiasm to achieve better outcomes for themselves and for their patients

•Promoting and enhancing the image of nursing within the organization, the community and the profession

Van Brunt's nurse leaders spoke about her during the presentation in the conference room at WMC. Ariel Allen said, "Over the past 15 years I have had the privilege to witness Lisa modeling exemplary behavior daily at every level of nursing. It was evident in the exceptional care she provided as a bedside nurse as she provided a calm and compassionate environment for her patients. Lisa's exemplary behavior extended into providing education through mentoring and certification classes to other nurses. She flawlessly models true servant leadership without fail, inspiring others to not only be their best selves but achieve their highest potential. Lisa is an outstanding leader demonstrating true nursing excellence to those of us lucky enough to learn from her example."

Melissa Cassidy said, "Lisa is one of those leaders that we all look up to and respect. She creates an environment where there is trust, compassion and mutual respect. She is always available to her team and helps us to grow in our professional development by giving us the tools and mentorship needed. She is a model of ethical behavior. She is always doing the right thing for patients as well as her team."

Brandy Kottman said, "Lisa is one of my most inspiring nurse leaders that I have had the privilege to work alongside. She strives to see the best in people and the positive in all situations. Her caring, compassionate and knowledgeable nature makes others want to do and be better. Lisa has an innate ability to bring teams together by focusing on a shared purpose and helping members of those teams set aside their differences to achieve a common goal.

"She promotes improved patient outcomes and experiences through example. During the last year she has inspired the team to focus on the little things that can be done for a patient that can greatly improve their perception of their care. Lisa is honestly the glue that holds our nursing team together."

Banner WMC CEO Jay Stallings said, "All of us are watched every day by others to see if we actually do as we say, whether at work or at home. Trust, or loss of trust, is the outcome. Lisa knows you and our community. She is driven to learn as much as she can about the science of nursing and the needs of the people who seek care at the hospital. She dedicates her time every day in order to make sure that WMC is a center of healing and caring that earns trust from the people and from those of us who work here. I trust her and I'm grateful that she has chosen Banner WMC to share her talents, time and skills."

Van Brunt said, "Wow, this is so unexpected. Thank you guys. I am just very humbled because I love what I do. I love everybody in this building. I come here every day because we're a team. We're serving in our community and I can't think of any place else I would ever want to work. This is my home and you are all my family. I am just so honored and blessed to be able to work with each of you, so thank you."

AWARD FOR EXTRAORDINARY NURSES

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day.

This year's WMC DAISY Award Honoree is Thao Doan.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at Washakie Medical Center to receive 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.

Van Brunt, in presenting Doan her award, said she was nominated by a patient. She said Doan is the type of nurse who cares for the person not just helping treat the disease or injury.

The nomination came from a disabled person who said Doan was always smiling and full of energy. She said the patient required some extra attention and Doan made the person "feel like a person not just a patient."

Doan, who has worked at WMC for 20 months, said, "I am honored to receive this."

In addition to the pin and the sculpture, Doan and Van Brunt received a bouquet of daisies and a DAISY Foundation recycled bag. Van Brunt said Doan's bag had information on continuing education opportunities.

Cinnamon rolls were available for the entire hospital staff. As Van Brunt explained when Patrick Barnes was in the hospital nothing tasted good. One day his father came in eating a cinnamon roll and Patrick asked for a bite and it was the first thing that tasted good. He asked for another cinnamon roll for the following day and asked his dad to bring a tray for the staff as well because of all they were doing for him.

Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, said, "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 [hospital] are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award."

Stallings said, "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."