Friday, January 24, 2014
 
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Extraordinary nurses to be recognized at ALMH

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[January 24, 2014]  Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital is accepting nominations to nationally recognize outstanding nursing with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of The DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the superhuman efforts nurses perform every day.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, or ITP, a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. The care he 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 patients' families.

Twice annually, an ALMH nurse will be selected by their peers to receive The DAISY Award. The honoree will be presented with a certificate commending her or him for being an "Extraordinary Nurse." The certificate reads: "In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people." The honoree will also be given a sculpture called "A Healer's Touch," hand-carved by artists of the Shona tribe in Africa.

One day while Barnes was in the hospital, he asked his family to bring him a Cinnabon cinnamon roll plus enough for all the nurses in his unit. With the help of Cinnabon's parent company, FOCUS Brands, The DAISY Foundation carries on this tradition by serving Cinnabons to all the nurses in the award recipient's unit in thanks for everything they do for their patients and families.

Bonnie Barnes, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation, said: "When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced firsthand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the superhuman work they do. The kind of work the nurses at ALMH are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award."

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Jeanne Dennis, ALMH director of nursing, said: "We are proud to be among the hospitals participating in The DAISY Award program. Nurses are heroes every day. Given the current national nursing shortage, The DAISY Award could not be launched at a better time. It's important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that."

For a complete listing of hospitals currently participating in the program, go to http://daisyfoundation.org/.

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation, whose overall goal is to help fight diseases of the immune system. Additionally, the foundation offers grants for nursing research and evidence-based practice projects and provides assistance to ITP support groups. More information is available on their website, http://daisyfoundation.org/.

Individuals who are interested in nominating a nurse at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital for The Daisy Award can find the nomination form by visiting www.almh.org and clicking on the Daisy Award graphic or by contacting the acute care nurse manager, Michelle Green, at 217-605-5303.

Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, at 200 Stahlhut Drive, is a 25-bed critical-access hospital affiliated with Memorial Health System.

[Text from file received from Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital]

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