Kristin Ives, RN, was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Sarah Bush Lincoln on February 2. Ives was nominated for her attention to detail and commitment. Her nominator wrote in part:
“My 3-year-old son was hospitalized with vomiting, diarrhea, and severe dehydration. Everyone that we interacted with from the Emergency Department to the Women and Children’s Center was amazing. My son was transferred upstairs from the Emergency Department and both Kristin and OB-GYN technician, Savannah Russell, were waiting for us. Kristin went over his symptoms, history in detail, and explained his treatment plan going forward. She checked on us every hour and even came back right before her shift ended to make sure we were all doing well. She didn’t miss anything. Kristin was very compassionate and knowledgeable on his needs and care. She not only cared for my son, but she took care of my husband and me.
There is nothing harder on a parent than their child being sick. Kristin thought of everything from getting us after-hours meals to finding me hygiene products. She was so caring and supportive, which helped ease my concerns. She is one of the best nurses I have ever met. I have several nurses in my family including my mother. I was a hospital social worker, so I have worked with and have known many nurses. She is an angel sent from God himself. From now on, my entire family will be using Sarah Bush Lincoln for every healthcare need. Every staff member treated us with utmost respect. I hope that Kristin receives this award as it is only a small token of what she deserves. We will never forget the care we received from her.”
Sarah Bush Lincoln has joined more than 2,700 healthcare facilities by becoming a DAISY Award hospital partner. During the award presentation, Ives 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 receive 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, SBL DAISY interim coordinator, Tracey McCord, RN, at (217) 238-4987 or tmccord@sblhs.org.