CMH announces DAISY Award winner
Contact: Sarah Bello
Emergency care nurse practitioner honored
CMH is pleased to announce nurse practitioner Kristin Hooper as its most recent recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
Hooper is CMH’s fourth DAISY Award honoree. She was nominated by the wife of a patient who received care in the Emergency Department.
“Kristin came out of the ER at one point and sat with me in the waiting area and let me unload the experience. I was so grateful for her,” the patient’s wife said. “She really helped me relax and get through this ordeal. We so appreciated her kindness, caring and concern. It was just what I needed to gain a footing on my emotions and to deal with caring for my loved one.”
The DAISY Foundation was created in 1999 after 33-year-old J. Patrick Barnes died from complications from an auto-immune disease. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
Barnes spent the last eight weeks of his life in hospitals while he was treated for his ITP symptoms. The nursing care he received profoundly impacted his family. Barnes’ family created the foundation and award to honor nurses who provide outstanding care to patients and patient families.
Award recipients receive a DAISY pin, a personalized certificate, a stone sculpture made by the Shona people of Zimbabwe titled “The Healer’s Touch,” and cinnamon rolls — a treat Barnes enjoyed while hospitalized. “The Healer’s Touch” represents the bond between nurses and their patients.
Hooper will be highlighted on the DAISY Foundation website and will be eligible to apply for several scholarships.
CMH will continue recognizing DAISY honorees throughout the year. If you have a great story about a CMH nurse, please submit it to Noelle Lund at nlund@columbiamemorial.org or at columbiamemorial.org/daisy.