Press Release:

The family behind the international DAISY Award visited Jefferson Health to celebrate nurses whose compassion, clinical excellence and teamwork improve lives every day. When Mark and Bonnie Barnes founded The DAISY Foundation in memory of their son, J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 at age 33 from an autoimmune disease, they hoped to give patients and families a meaningful way to thank the nurses who carried them through life’s most difficult moments. They never imagined their tribute to recognize nurses would grow into an international movement, which 25 years later, is embraced by thousands of healthcare organizations worldwide.

“Having the Barnes family visit reminds us why the DAISY Award holds such a special meaning,” said Kate FitzPatrick, DNP, RN, ACNP, NEA-BC, FAAN, Executive Vice President and Connelly Foundation Chief Nurse Executive Officer for Jefferson Health. “DAISY recognitions tell the story of a nurse or team that made a lasting difference during an important moment in someone’s life. It is an honor to celebrate those extraordinary caregivers.”

Karen Perez, RN, Jefferson Abington

Recently, the Barnes family visited Jefferson Health hospitals across the East, Central, North and Lehigh Valley regions to experience firsthand how Jefferson nurses bring the DAISY mission to life every day. During their visits, they met DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses honorees, listened to moving patient stories, toured clinical units, met with nursing leaders and saw how Jefferson Health has built a culture that celebrates nursing.

Each stop along the Barnes family’s visit highlighted a different example of outstanding nursing:

• At Jefferson Washington Township Hospital, the family met Emergency Department Clinical Coordinator Paula Boyd, RN, a recipient of the DAISY Team Leader Award for her calm leadership and mentorship, as well as the Medical-Surgical/Telemetry team whose DAISY Team Award recognized nearly a month of compassionate care for a nonverbal autistic patient. Through patience, consistency and personalized support, the team built trust and helped the patient connect with caregivers.
• At Jefferson Abington Hospital, the family honored DAISY Award recipient Karen Perez, RN (pictured above), whose patient described her as a “superhero” for providing expert care, reassurance and comfort during a difficult hospitalization.
• At Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, DAISY honorees Danielle Hansen, RN, and  Paola Pedraza-Rivera, RN, were recognized for different but equally meaningful acts of nursing excellence. Danielle’s clinical vigilance and patient education supported a patient’s recovery, while Paola’s ability to teach a frightened Spanish-speaking patient in his native language ensured he felt confident before discharge. The visit also highlighted Jefferson nursing research funded by a DAISY Foundation grant that explores ways to improve the patient experience during bone marrow biopsies through virtual reality, music and environmental enhancements.
• A remarkable story came from the Lehigh Valley Region, where the Barnes family met the DAISY Team Award-winning nurses from Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City. The team was recognized for safely relocating more than 70 patients after a fire forced the hospital’s evacuation, including critically ill and postoperative patients. While coordinating the evacuation, the nurses also comforted families and helped establish a temporary care site. Their leadership, preparation and teamwork ensured that every patient and colleague was evacuated safely without injury.

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Photos: Jefferson Health