Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital recently awarded Alyssa Hurst, RN with the DAISY Award. The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care given by nurses every day. Alyssa, who works on the cardiology floor, was nominated for the award by a patient and family for her caring and compassionate care.

According to the nomination letter, Alyssa was attentive to not only the patient but the patient’s wife. “She was caring, compassionate and funny. She helped put us at ease during such a stressful time of our lives. My husband had been NPO (time in which you may not eat or drink anything) for quite some time and she personally went to the cafeteria to get him some food upon returning from his procedure,” wrote the patient’s wife.

Alyssa, who has been a member of the Phoebe Family for 4.5 years, says she enjoys not only helping people but helping them understand their health and learn how to care for themselves. “It means a lot that someone took the time to write the nomination and thank me. It validates that I chose the right career when sometimes I think I’m not doing a good job,” added Alyssa. 

“She has a natural ability to connect with patients and explain things on a level they can understand. You can really tell that she enjoys her job,” said Casie Darley, RN, Nurse Manager, 4AB.

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.

At a presentation given in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors, the honoree receives a certificate commending her or him for being an "Extraordinary Nurse."  The honoree is also given a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.