DAISY Award Program to Recognize Extraordinary Nurses

Nurses at The Aroostook Medical Center will have an opportunity to be recognized individually for outstanding service thanks to a national program through the DAISY Foundation in which the healthcare organization is now taking part.

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day.

Leaders at the hospital recently launched a campaign for the The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses internally within TAMC and are now bringing the campaign to the public, so that former patients and family members of patients are also aware of this opportunity to recognize someone who truly made a difference in care.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes.  Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease.  The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

Nurses can be nominated by patients, family of patients, or colleagues at TAMC. Nominees can be nurses who work in either the inpatient or outpatient setting.  Nominations will be sought on an on-going basis, with one honoree selected quarterly.  All nominees will be recognized with a special DAISY pin they can affix to their badge, the honoree who is selected for the quarter will also receive beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.  Each honoree will also receive a certificate commending her or him for being an "Extraordinary Nurse" and a celebration will be held annually to recognized the four honorees of the previous year.

Nominations are currently being sought.  They can be made online at www.tamc.org by clicking on The DAISY Award banner ad at the top of the page.  For those who prefer, brochures with a section for nominating a nurse are also available at TAMC.  Individuals are invited to stop by the hospital’s main lobby to obtain a brochure or to call 768-4301 to request one be mailed to you.

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