Fifteen nurses at Delta Health were honored with nominations for The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses earlier this month.

This quarter there were six different nursing departments represented in the DAISY nominations, and the nominations were: Vallerie Buccani, RN, Kyla Killie, RN, Emily Holder, RN, Jenna Regenfuss, RN, Loretta Taylor, RN, David Brodhead, RN, Somer Hohnke, RN, Jody Moore, RN, Stephanie Doyle, RN, Joyce Carpenter, RN, Connie Hall, RN, Mercedes Zunich, RN, Amber Ham, RN, Sierra Bigelow, RN, Cassidy Austin, RN.

The overall DAISY Award winner for the second quarter of 2023 was Loretta Taylor, RN in Stork’s Landing, the Labor and Delivery Unit at Delta Health. Loretta became a Diploma Registered Nurse in 1970 and has been passionate about labor and delivery ever since. This was a special nomination because it was Loretta’s first time receiving a DAISY Award.

“We [ICU staff] called a rapid response for a patient,” read Loretta’s DAISY nomination letter from Delta Health ICU staff. “Many people showed up, but Loretta saw a family member in distress and she went over and comforted the families while all the other nurses, doctors, and RTs were in with the patient. That is truly what this is all about, caring and treating people with respect. Loretta shines with compassion and provides a guiding light to grim situations. She is a warm soul that has dedicated many years to her career in nursing. Her home unit and love is labor and delivery but she is ready to help in difficult situations.”

The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize nurses who go above and beyond in the care of their patients.

“Loretta’s commitment to her nursing career, and specifically to her years as an OB nurse, is extraordinary and shows in the care she provides to patients and loved ones,” said Jan Humphrey, RN, Director of Obstetrics at Delta Health. “The care and compassion she shows shines brightly in our hospital.”

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues, and the quarterly DAISY award recipient is chosen through a select Daisy Committee and DCMH’s T.E.A.M. M.A.S.H through a scoring rubric recognizing the nurses P.E.T.A.L.S., (Passion, Empathy, Trust, Admirable attributes, Love and Selflessness). Applications are blinded to these committees and scored. Awards are then presented four times throughout the year to celebrate the nominees.

“The DAISY Awards are a great tradition that we are proud to continue here at Delta Health,” said Dawn Arnett, RN, BSN, Director of In-Patient Services at Delta Health. “Each nominee is a model for what it means to provide compassionate, quality healthcare that our community trusts. They go above and beyond and we are honored to have the DAISY program where we can honor all of our amazing staff.”

The certificate that each honoree receives commends 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.

To nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award, go online to deltahealthco.org/bee-daisy-awards/ and submit a digital nomination form. Nomination forms can also be found throughout the hospital.

Information in this brief comes from a Delta Health press release.