Creating safety in crisis

After a hospital visit, patients have the ability to recognize nurses who go above and beyond by nominating them for a DAISY award.

This spring, Greater Regional Medical Center had 21 nurses nominated for the award, more than double the fall nominees, but it was Heather Burwell who was selected as the spring DAISY award recipient.

The winner is chosen by an anonymous system where a select committee of people read the submissions with the names removed and vote for a winner.

The DAISY program started in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). His family was so touched by the care they received from his nurses they started the DAISY program.

DAISY is an acronym for diseases against the autoimmune system. The Greater Regional DAISY award ceremony took place during National Nurses Week, May 6 - 12, and honored the nurses and their stories.

Though Burwell has been a nurse at Greater Regional for 21 years, this was her first DAISY nomination.

“I was very surprised,” she said. “We have a lot of good nurses there that have also been nominated. We had some brand new nurses that have been there less than a year and then we had nurses that have been there longer than me that were nominated.”

As an emergency room nurse, Burwell often sees patients in a state of crisis, but her mantra is to take care of them like she would her own family.

“Treat them how you would want to be treated and how your parents and brother and grandparents would want to be treated,” Burwell said. “Sure, they can get a little frustrating sometimes, but take a deep breath and think what if this was your family?”

The patient who nominated Burwell came to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain on a Sunday.

“She had me in a room getting me assessed, etc... in less than five minutes from when I walked in the door,” the nomination stated. “She stayed with me as much as possible and recognized immediately when I was crashing, got me help right away and was calm and reassuring the entire time.”

When the patient was having trouble speaking, Burwell communicated with the patient’s mom over the phone.

Burwell said she knew she wanted to help people from a young age. “I really don’t know what else I would do,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse since I was a kid.”

In a moment of crisis, Burwell was the anchor for her patient. “From the moment I arrived until I left via helicopter, she was attentive, proactive, professional and above all extremely kind,” the nomination states. “I felt safer knowing she was there with me.”

Other nurses nominated were Melissa Barrans, Ashton Carter, Jentri Clayton, Jari Jo Cleary, Brittany Ford, Kim Frain, Denae Galanakis, Joyce Johnson, Amanda Lett, Sarah Lundquist, Bryanna Moreland, Sara Rich, Janelle Swartz, Michal Thompson, Loretta Umbenhower, Brandy Wagner, Cheyanne Warrior, Hannah Weeda, Jimi Wethor and Tricia Williams.

To share a positive experience and nominate a nurse for the DAISY award, visit www.greaterregional.org/share-your-story.