Parkview Health is taking steps to recognize the amazing work that nurses do on a daily basis. One of those steps was adopting the DAISY Award program which will allow patients and their families to thank the skilled nursing professionals that were involved in their care or the care of a loved one. To better understand the scope of this new award, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Jason Etter, BSN, RN, nursing education and clinical excellence, to discuss his nomination, what winning the award meant to him and why he chose to become a nurse.
What is the DAISY Award?
The DAISY Award was created in honor of Patrick Barnes. At the age of 33, he awoke to some troubling symptoms. Having survived Hodgkin’s Disease twice, his family knew it could be serious, so they took action. Patrick was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with the auto-immune disease, Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Patrick and his wife, Tena, had just had their first child two months before he became sick.
Days after Patrick’s passing his family began talking about what they could do to honor his memory. They knew they wanted to say thank you to all nurses everywhere, highlighting the extraordinary gifts they give patients and their families through unwavering care.
“We vividly recalled the skillful and compassionate care Patrick received from his nurses during his eight-week hospitalization,” Mark Barnes, Patrick’s father, said. “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.”
It was then that they decided they would create a recognition program. Patrick’s wife, Tena, came up with the acronym, DAISY, which stood for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, and thus the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was born. Through this recognition award, they would help honor the super-human work nurses do for patients and their families, every single day wherever they practice, in whatever role they serve and throughout their careers, from students through lifetime achievements.
In creating the DAISY Award, there were three elements Patrick’s family wanted to ensure the recognition program included:
- A partnership with healthcare organizations to provide on-going recognition of the clinical skill and especially the compassion nurses provide to patients and families all year long.
- Flexibility so that The DAISY Award may be tailored to each hospital’s unique culture and values.
- A turn-key program with The DAISY Foundation providing most everything you need to implement The DAISY Award.
The ultimate goal of the recognition award and program was to ensure that nurses know how deserving they are of our respect, including the education, training, brainpower, skill and care they bring to their work each day.
Jason’s story
Jason Etters has been a nurse for more than 15 years with a career that has spanned two different hospital systems. He joined Parkview Health over a year ago and continues to provide exceptional care every day by further educating fellow nurses. We had the opportunity to sit down with Jason to discuss his nomination and work as a nurse.
Why did you become a nurse?
At first, I thought I was settling for nursing. Because I had some health issues, I couldn't continue down the path of becoming a physician. Then, I realized nursing actually chose me. I like to have time with my patients and get to know their families. I really enjoy that part of my work.
What’s your approach to patient care?
I believe the patient in the bed always comes first. I would do anything for a patient, but that's nursing. We do anything to get the job done for our patients.
What’s the greatest reward of being a nurse?
I think it's restoring them to their life. Whether that's discharging them home, whether that's just they have a small procedure, and then it improves their life. I just really enjoy getting them back to their quality of life.
What does it mean to be nominated for a Daisy award?
I couldn't believe it. I was speechless, which isn't normal for me. I love that the DAISY Award comes from patients and their families. But, in all honesty, I was humbled by the nomination. I was just doing my job, using nursing science to help patients heal and get back to their life.
What would you say to those who have nominated you for the Daisy award?
In nursing, we can do anything. This is the Academy Award of nursing. It's not an award that your organization gave you. It's from the people that truly matter, actual patients and their families. So, I just want to humbly say thank you.
What advice would you give someone considering a nursing career?
I would say you are going to embark on a journey that’s so beautiful and amazing. You get to be with people on the best or worst day of their life, but no matter what we get to help restore them to their life. It can be ugly or remarkable. Every day is different, but you get to be a part of something special on their journey, through the hospital and their health.
Making a Nomination
Nurses can be nominated for a DAISY Award by anyone – patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, clinicians and staff. Anyone who has experienced or observed extraordinary and compassionate care being provided by a nurse may nominate that individual for consideration.
If you or a loved one have been the recipient of exceptional care by a nurse and would like to nominate them, please share your story to DAISY@parkview.com.
