Warren nurse recipient of DAISY Award
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The caring moments made the difference.
Warren General Hospital Emergency Room nurse Sarah Stapleford Washek has won a DAISY Award as an extraordinary nurse. The DAISY Award recognizes "the super-human efforts nurses perform every day."
Washek was nominated by a COVID-19 patient.
"Caring is the essence of nursing," the patient, a registered nurse for almost 35 years, said, citing Nurse Theorist Jean Watson.
"I was home and ill. My workplace, upon test me in the parking lot, confirmed COVID-19," the patient said. "It was very frightening… to have an asthma attack that led to the inability to speak and difficulty in breathing."
That patient came to the WGH Emergency Room in March.
"Sarah graduated from WAHS and the same grade as our eldest daughter," the patient said in nominating Washek. "In such a friendly, professional, and caring manner, she stated she was going to be my nurse. It was truly calming for me."
"She knows I am a nurse, but she did everything textbook," she said. "She informed and explained, while providing that care and compassion. I watched this young lady grow up and was not being blessed by her skills and knowledge base of the profession."
"Watson's Theory of Human Caring includes that there can be caring moments/occasions," the patient said. "Caring moments provide meaning to our work as professional nurses."
The patient was present for Washek's award ceremony and read her nomination letter.
Washek is Warren General's sixth DAISY Award recipient.
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.
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