Each month Phoebe recognizes a nurse for his or her extraordinary efforts at the bedside with the DAISY Award, a national program to honor excellence in nursing. Over the years, it has become evident that the environment created by nurse leaders is a strong factor in how direct care nurses take care of patients. Now, Phoebe is honoring and celebrating nurse managers with the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. The award’s inaugural winner is Anza Richardson, RN, Nurse Manager General Surgery/Urology.
 
According to her nomination letter, Anza demonstrates strong leadership and has gained the respect and loyalty of her employees. “She is the glue that keeps things working the way they do. Staff appreciates her making sure they are always fully staffed. On the rare occasion they are short-staffed, they know she will pitch in and help or more often than not, guide their actions. Seeing her work as hard as she does, makes the staff work harder as well. Her staff know that she cares and that above all else is most meaningful,” continued the nomination letter.
 
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. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
 
At a presentation given in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors, the honoree will receive a certificate commending her or him for being an "Extraordinary Nurse."  The honoree will also be given a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.