Amanda Fraser is Warren General Hospital’s second recipient of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

A Medical-Surgical/CCU Nurse at WGH, Fraser, RN, was recognized April 29 with the award that is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

These difficult times of COVID-19 aside, nurses are almost always the unsung heroes of a community — and it just happens that the Times Observer is announcing the award during National Nurses Week (May 6-12).

Fraser was nominated by a family member of a patient she cared for in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) back on January 17. The patient’s family member complimented Amanda for “always having a smile on her face.”

They said, “everything she did was with a smile,” adding that Amanda never thought their questions were dumb or inappropriate.

Photo submitted to Times Observer From left, Warren General Hospital Executive Director Rick Allen, The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses recipient Amanda Fraser, and Chief of Nursing Joe Akif.

They praised her ability to explain everything thoroughly and in a calm manner.

“I do believe her smile is a healing element in your CCU,” they said.

The family member went on to explain that, as he sat with his wife, he would look out at the nurses’ desk through the window and no matter what Amanda was doing, she did it with a smile.

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.

Photo submitted to Times Observer The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses recipient Amanda Fraser.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at Warren General Hospital 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.

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 Warren General Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

WGH Chief Nursing Officer Joe Akif 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.”

In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of direct care Nurses, Nurse-led Teams, Nurse Leaders, Nursing Faculty, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org