Mon Health Now Participating in The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses

An international nursing acknowledgement program is now available across Mon Health System. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses has been initiated to honor nurses who provide “extraordinary” care to their patients.

“We are excited to participate in The DAISY Award to honor the nurses who go above and beyond for our patients,” said Krystal Atkinson, Chief Nursing Executive at Mon Health. “Throughout COVID-19, our nurses have remained steadfast in providing compassionate care as they were taxed both physically and mentally.”

The DAISY Award was created by the family of Patrick Barnes, who developed an autoimmune disease and sadly passed away at the young age of 33. Patrick’s family was not only inspired by the excellent clinical skills nurses brought to his treatment, but by the compassion and kindness that was shown to both Patrick and to the family. They felt compelled to say “Thank You” to nurses everywhere for what they do each day.

“We were there to see the clinical skill that dealt with his very complex medical situation, the fast thinking of nurses who saved his life more than once, and nursing excellence that took years to hone to the best of the profession,” Mark Barnes, Patrick’s Father, wrote. “We were awed by the way the nurses touched him and spoke with him, even when he was on a ventilator and totally sedated. The way they informed and educated us eased our minds. They truly helped us through the darkest hours of our lives, with soft voices of hope and strong loving hugs that to this day, we still feel.”

After his passing, the family began thinking of ways to honor their son and those nurses who were so important in his last days. The family then created The DAISY Award, standing for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. At the top of their priorities was the creation of thank you gifts for the nurses who give excellent care to their patients every day.

Today, there are over 4,650 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing in all 50 states and 28 other countries committed to honoring nurses with The DAISY Award. The strategic impact of the program on nurses and their organizations is deep, affecting nurses' job satisfaction, retention, teamwork, pride, organizational culture, a healthy work environment, and more.

Nurses can be nominated by anyone who has been affected by their care – patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians, and staff – anyone who has experienced or observed extraordinary, compassionate care being provided by a nurse.

Say thank you to a nurse and nominate them for the DAISY Award by visiting MonHealth.com/DAISY.