‘Extraordinary Nurses’ recognized at Antelope Valley Medical Center

LANCASTER – Five nurses at Antelope Valley Medical Center —Ewuraba, Ollvy, Nicole, Kevin and Tomas — were honored recently with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses, which recognizes nurses who are making a profound difference in the lives of patients and their families.

Nurses were nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The DAISY award recipients were chosen by a committee at AVMC. Honorees received certificates of commendation, which read: “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 received a DAISY award pin and a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

The recognition is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize extraordinary, compassionate nursing care. The DAISY Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in late 1999 at age 33 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 the DAISY Foundation as a means of thanking exceptional nurses.

“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,” said Bonnie Barnes, co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “The kind of work the nurses at Antelope Valley Medical Center are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

“We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in The DAISY Award program,” said AVMC Interim Chief Nursing Officer Amy Villaroya. “It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that.”

For more information on the DAISY Foundation, visit: http://daisyfoundation.org/.

[Information via news release from Antelope Valley Medical Center.]

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