Kari Adkins, RN, was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Sarah Bush Lincoln on October 30.
Adkins was nominated by a co-worker for her compassion and tireless dedication to providing exceptional care in the Emergency Department. In a nomination letter, her co-worker wrote:
“Kari has been an ER nurse for many years. She consistently displays compassion and kindness toward her patients. She wants the best outcomes and is genuinely geared toward ensuring her patients receive the safest and highest quality care. Kari takes her job as a preceptor, charge nurse, nurse and coworker seriously. She is committed to the team and our success as a department.
The ER was especially busy on September 23. Though it was Kari’s day off, she stopped in for another reason and immediately asked how she could help when she noticed how busy it was. She changed into scrubs and started attending to people’s needs. Not only did she come in on her day off and stay, but she came back the next day and worked a double shift in an equally challenging environment. Kari wanted to ensure optimal safety for the patients and staff.
Kari has been a good friend, mentor, and support while working in the Emergency Department. She stands out because she consistently worries about patient safety. Thank you, Kari for a job well done. You are an exceptional nurse and Sarah Bush Lincoln is lucky to have you on its team.”
Sarah Bush Lincoln has joined more than 2,700 healthcare facilities by becoming a DAISY Award hospital partner. During the award presentation, Adkins received a certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a unique, hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture from Zimbabwe, entitled, “A Healer’s Touch.”
The DAISY Award was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for diseases attacking the immune system.) 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 families.
Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians and other employees may nominate a deserving nurse for The Daisy Award and a nurse will be selected by SBL’s DAISY committee every month to received this special honor. Nomination forms are located at www.sarahbush.org and at all SBL clinics and on patient floors. The forms can be submitted to any Sarah Bush Lincoln staff member, or sent via email to daisy@sblhs.org or mail to Sarah Bush Lincoln, DAISY Nursing Award, 1000 Health Center Drive, Mattoon, IL 61938. For more information, contact SBL DAISY coordinator, Jamie Easton, RN, at (217) 238 -6255 or jeaston@sblhs.org.