Carson Valley Health honors nursing excellence

Carson Valley Health is seeking nominations for the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Awards for Extraordinary Nurses during the month of October.

Founded in 1999, The DAISY Foundation was formed by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who passed away from a complex medical condition after eight weeks in hospital care, where he received “kindness and compassion every day” from the nursing staff, according to the foundation’s website.

The acronym stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System and is intended to honor the “super-human work nurses do for patients and families every day,” as written on the foundation website.

“If you asked our nurses if what they did every day was extraordinary or superhuman, they’d tell you they were just doing their jobs,” Megan Meagher, CVH clinical educator, said. “The reality is that our nurses take the time to listen to the families, make sure they understand what is happening, and offer compassion and kindness in what could be the worst time of their lives.”

Nominations come from patients and co-workers alike. CVH has drop boxes located around the hospital for drop-in nominations, as well as a form on its website for nominations.

“It is quite an honor to be nominated for this internationally recognized award,” Sally Kimbrell, case manager for CVH, and a DAISY Award winner in 2019, said. “It didn’t seem like a big deal, just unfortunate circumstances for my patient I responded to.”

Kimbrell’s patient was having a PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) installed when an x-ray machine got stuck in the door. The patient became nervous and agitated. Kimbrell saw her patient grow more and more nervous, so she climbed over the x-ray machine to be able to offer calm in a stressful situation.

“It’s really important for us to remember what is happening to our patients and help ease them through a hard time,” she said. “This situation had never happened before and has never happened since, but I was able to explain what was happening and provide comfort.”

Kimbrell was nominated for the DAISY Award by a co-worker, and Meagher said it takes a whole team to provide excellent health care.

“Nurses see it as just doing our jobs and we can forget how the little things matter to a patient and their family,” she said.

“Patient care is the number one reason patients choose CVH,” Kimbrell said.

“Our nurse-to-patient ratio is such that we can build personal relationships with our patients and our doctors can sit down to speak with their families to help make sense of what’s happening,” she said. “It’s what sets us apart, being able to address our patients’ mental state as well as their physical health.”

DAISY Award nominations are accepted all year, with awardees being chosen by committee in the winter and spring. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CVH has not awarded a DAISY Award winner since Kimbrell’s award.

“Over the past few years, I’ve watched our region’s healthcare systems get decimated,” Meagher said. “It’s so important for us to recognize the care and compassion our nurses provide our patients every day.”

To nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award, visit https://www.cvmchospital.org/patients-visitors/daisy-award-nominate-a-nurse/ or drop off your nomination at one of the many drop boxes around the hospital.