Nurse at Blythedale Children’s Hospital Honored with DAISY Award for Extraordinary Care

Aug. 1, 2011 - PRLog -- Allison Danks, RN, received a DAISY Award for Exceptional Nurses at Blythedale Children’s Hospital on July 29, in recognition of her extraordinary patient care. Nominated by a colleague, Danks received the national award during a surprise ceremony held at the Hospital that morning.

“The highest praise for a nurse comes when a patient, family or colleague takes the time to recognize us for caring,” said Blythedale’s Chief Nursing Officer Judi Peacock, MPH, RN, WCC. “Compassionate care for children and the whole family is at the heart of nursing at Blythedale.” Peacock led the ceremony and read excerpts from Danks’ nomination, which was submitted by a coworker who praised Danks as a dedicated nurse who makes a difference. “It is the additional acts of kindness and compassion that make her shine,” her colleague wrote. “Allison is a nurse who exhibits a true devotion to her profession, not only to provide accurate nursing care to our patients, but also to delivering care with the entire family in mind. I value Allison because of her sincere dedication, strength and compassion for her patients, families and co-workers.”

In addition to the touching words of gratitude, Danks received an “Exceptional Nurse” certificate from the DAISY Foundation, a daisy pin, and a small handcrafted “Healer’s Touch” sculpture made by Shona artisans in Zimbabwe. The sculpture represents the importance of healers, and reflects the value placed on nurses by Blythedale, its patients and parents.

Genuinely surprised by the honor, Danks expressed her gratitude during the morning ceremony. “I thank the co-worker who nominated me,” she said.  “I love nursing and it's an honor to be recognized for something I love doing. I leave work knowing I made a difference in my patients and their families' lives."

Danks earned her nursing degree from Farmingdale State College and has worked at Blythedale for 3 years. She is certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support and currently works on the Hospital’s Infant Unit. Danks resides in Queens, NY.

The celebration of compassionate nursing concluded with Cinnabon cinnamon rolls for the entire unit, courtesy of the company that serves as a DAISY program corporate partner.

Registered nurses may be nominated for a DAlSY Award by staff, co-workers, patients or patients' parents and family members. Winners are selected by an 11-member committee based on a list of criteria including compassionate caring, inspiration of others, resolution of patient care challenges, and establishing a caring presence and healing bond with the patient and family.

The DAISY Award, an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, is a national program that began in 2001 by the DAISY Foundation in Glen Ellen, California. The DAISY Foundation was started by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a bleeding condition in which the blood doesn't clot properly. Deeply touched by the compassionate care Patrick received from his nurses, the Barnes family created the national DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to recognize the incredible work that nurses do every day. Focus Brands Inc., makers of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls, and AONE (American Organization for Nurse Executives) are corporate sponsors of the DAISY Awards.

For more information on the DAISY Award at Blythedale Children’s Hospital, please contact Blythedale’s Chief Nursing Officer Judi Peacock at jpeacock@blythedale.org or 914-831-2404.  For more information about the DAISY Foundation, please visit www.daisyfoundation.org

About Blythedale Children’s Hospital
As New York’s only freestanding, specialty children’s hospital, Blythedale Children’s Hospital is dedicated to improving the health status and quality of life of children with complex medical illnesses and disabling conditions through superb multi-disciplinary patient care, teaching, research, and advocacy programs.  Blythedale’s board-certified physicians, nurses, clinical staff (social workers, respiratory therapists, clinical pharmacists, Child Life specialists, etc.) and New York State’s largest hospital-based pediatric therapy department (PT, OT and Speech) work together to provide intensive and innovative multi-disciplinary clinical and therapeutic care to help children achieve their medical and rehabilitative goals for independent living, and return to their communities.  Blythedale is also the only Hospital in New York State with its own on-site public school district, the Mount Pleasant-Blythedale Union Free School District.  For more information about Blythedale Children’s Hospital, visit www.blythedale.org