Patients can nominate medical staff for DAISY Award

  • Published
  • By Merrie Schilter-Lowe
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – David Grant USAF Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base, California, is participating in an international recognition program that allows patients, family members and peers to recognize the nurse or medical technician they consider the most skillful and compassionate with a DAISY.  Not the flower, but the award created by the Disease Attacking Immune System Foundation.

More than 3,000 healthcare facilities across the nation and in 17 countries participate in the program, including Kaiser Permanente and Dignity Health facilities; NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield, California; Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles; and the Naval Medical Center in San Diego.

“The award gives patients a voice to recognize those who meant something special to them,” said Capt. Kristin Taylor, 60th Medical Group in-patient medical surgical unit.  “It will also build morale and give nurses and med techs something to strive toward.”

Mark and Bonnie Barnes created the DAISY Award in 1999 to recognize the nurses who cared for their son, J. Patrick Barnes, who died in a Seattle, Washington, hospital at age 33 following complications from an auto-immune disease.

“We vividly recalled the skillful and compassionate care Patrick received from his nurses during his eight-week hospitalization,” the Barnes state on the foundation’s webpage. “We wanted to say ‘thank you’ to nurses everywhere by establishing a recognition program.”

Although Army and Navy medical facilities already participate in the award program, Travis is the first Air Force base to participate, said Taylor.

And, unlike civilian hospitals, military facilities can recognize medical technicians with a DAISY Award because they have more responsibilities than their civilian counterparts.   

“Techs insert Foleys (urinary catheter) and IVs, draw blood and administer medications,” said Taylor.  “When deployed, they assess patients.” 

Taylor received a DAISY Award in 2016 while working in oncology at Chandler Regional Medical Center in Chandler, Arizona.

“The patient that nominated me was battling intense pain from cancer,” said Taylor.  “She was told she needed to stop her IV pain meds. She started crying.”  

Taylor sat and discussed a plan with the patient to taper off the medications. 

“I didn’t see it as going above and beyond, but my patient did,” said Taylor.   

When she arrived at Travis last year, Taylor suggested that DGMC leadership consider implementing the award program.      

“Nurses and med techs are definitely hardworking every day,” said Taylor. “They put a lot of energy into the job, which is not always appreciated.”

A 2014 Health Services Research study shows that when hospitals explicitly reward and support staff, patients and their family members rate patient care more favorably and are more likely to recommend the hospital. 

Research also shows that nurses nominated for the DAISY Award report lower levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. 

“The strategic impact of the program on nurses and their organizations is deep,” it states on the foundation’s website. “It affects nurses' job satisfaction, retention, teamwork, pride, organizational culture, healthy work environment and more.”

DGMC employs 249 active duty registered nurses; 386 medical technicians, including 65 government and contract employees; and 58 Veterans Administration medical technicians who are part of a joint venture program, said 1st Lt. Kevin Hopper, 60th MDG clinical nurse in the Family Medicine Clinic.

The nursing staff serve in almost every capacity, from critical care and education to flight and squadron commanders. Technicians are also spread throughout DGMC – in clinics, laboratories, in-patient wards and pharmacies.  As they progress in rank, technicians can become superintendents and flight chiefs. 

“We also help train new (resident) doctors and advocate for our patients,” said Hopper.

Taylor, Hopper and David Evans, 60th MDG nurse supervisor, will coordinate the DAISY Award program, but a civilian panel will select the quarterly winner, said Taylor. 

“The winner will be recognized at a ceremony in front of the entire unit and receive a pin, certificate of recognition and a hand-carved stone sculpture that is made in Zimbabwe,” she said. 

The foundation will feature award winners on its website and provide cinnamon rolls for the winner’s unit. Cinnamon rolls are one of the last foods Patrick ate. 

According to the foundation’s website, whenever nurses smell cinnamon, they should remember how special they are. 

To nominate a nurse or technician, contact one of the coordinators or complete a nomination form, which are available at the information desks inside DGMC. For more information about the program, contact Taylor at 707-423-3220 or Harper at 707-423-7631.