The Transformative Power of Caring

For the past three years, GRMC has participated in The DAISY Award to recognize excellence in nursing.

 

GRMC's 2014 DAISY Award Nominees

DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System and was created in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). His family wanted to do something special in his memory. DAISY was created to award nurses for their everyday excellence.

We have cinnamon rolls at our DAISY Award reception, and there is a good reason for this.

Patrick had very little appetite during his illness. His wife brought a Cinnabon cinnamon roll into his room one day. It smelled very good and it tasted even better to Patrick. He was so appreciative of his nursing team he asked his wife to bring Cinnabon rolls for the entire staff. And so, every year we receive a jar of trademark Cinnabon cinnamon to make rolls for our celebration from The DAISY Foundation.

On Friday, May 9, GRMC honored the 2014 DAISY nominees for outstanding leadership, patient care, excellent nursing skills, and dedication to GRMC.

One nurse is selected to be the DAISY Nurse for the year. In recognition of this award, the honoree receives a certificate, a special DAISY pin, a bouquet of fresh daisies, and an invitation to a special luncheon at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines with all DAISY Award nurses selected for the year from Mercy Health Network hospitals.

GRMC’s 2014 DAISY Nurse is Kimberly McNurlen, RN. Kim received two nominations from supervisors

and coworkers. Her years of experience and leadership as a mentor to other nurses is outstanding. In fact, she oriented several of the nurses also nominated this year. Kim’s attention to detail and safe delivery of high quality care is exemplary. She is well-respected, not only by her teammates in med/surg, but throughout the entire organization. Kim has served for many years on GRMC’s Celebration Council, participating in activities and events to foster a sense of unity and fun for all GRMC employees.

GRMC's 2014 DAISY Nurse, Kimberly McNurlen, RN,
pictured here with Doris Rindels, RN, Assistant Vice-President,
and Todd Linden, President and CEO

Kim is well-known as a team player, meeting not only her patients’ needs but assisting co-workers whenever the need arises. Her honest and compassionate nature puts her patients and co-workers at ease. Put very simply by one of the nominators, “Kim is an awesome nurse.” 

Ellen Waterbury, RN, ICU and Diana Fenner, RN, Home Health, were honored as DAISY nurses in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Twenty-two nurses were nominated at GRMC this year by patients, family members, co-workers, and supervisors. Every nomination shares incredible stories of compassionate care, great teamwork, and extraordinary nursing. It’s a tough decision to make.

Happy Nurses’ Week. Thank you for all you do.

“The one really positive thing we could hold onto from the experience

 of his eight-week hospitalization was the skillful and amazingly compassionate

 care he received from his nurses - even when he was totally sedated.

 When Pat died, we felt compelled to express our profound gratitude 

to nurses for the work they do for patients and their families every day. 

This is the primary mission of The DAISY Foundation.”

 – quoted from www.daisyfoundation.org