16 New DAISY Award Winners Honored in 2020 by AMN Healthcare
2020 DAISY Award Winners Exemplify Outstanding Compassion
AMN Healthcare, in partnership with the DAISY Foundation™, recognized 16 outstanding clinicians in 2020 for the extraordinary skillful, compassionate care they provided patients and families. Given how challenging and unprecedented 2020 was, AMN Healthcare felt that more than just four nurses needed to be honored – breaking from the traditional one DAISY Award winner per quarter. Their nominations are linked below, along with a sampling of testimonials to spotlight just how above and beyond these nurses went.
What is a DAISY Award?
The award was created in memory of Patrick Barnes, who died from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). His family was so inspired by the care he received from the nurses that tended and treated him that they created this award to recognize other amazing nurses and shine a light on their work. It’s an international award that honors the best of the best nurses through a physical award, certificate, and pin for display on their scrubs.
More than 800,000 nurses have been nominated and the list continues to grow. Learn more about the DAISY Foundation™.
AMN Healthcare’s 2020 DAISY Award Winners
The award nominees in 2020 were committed to going above and beyond their typical duties when it came to the care they provided to their patients. Please read on to see a sampling of some of the reasons why these nurses have been given DAISY Awards, as well as links to their full nominations.
While on her travel assignment at a hospital in Eugene Megan took care of a 40-year-old cancer patient in the ICU. Megan had developed a strong rapport with the patient and family. It was especially devastating for Megan when the patient passed away, but her care had made a tremendous difference to the patient’s loved ones.
"Dear Megan, you were the nurse who was so wonderful to our friend when she was with you in the ICU," wrote a friend of the patient's family. "Your whole team was so great, but I remember your kindness in allowing us to stay with [her] after she heard the devastating news that she had stage 4 cancer. You went above and beyond as you made phone calls so that we could be allowed to stay with her…”
"I would like to nominate Taylor for being intelligent, experienced, loving, and knowing what she is doing at her work," said the nomination. "She is a very kind, patient, extraordinary person. Always on time for medication, etc. I really want her to feel special. She knows what she is doing, and her love for her job is inexpressible. She is amazing, and I want her to know it."
Taylor keeps a binder of patients' notes, letters, and cards she has received and looks at them when she is having a bad day. "I like to look back and remind myself why I do what I do," Taylor said. "This quote will go in the binder as well."
One set of parents was so touched by Hannah’s care and attention to detail that they nominated her for the prestigious DAISY Award, an honor bestowed upon nurses who have demonstrated outstanding clinical excellence and compassion to their patients and families.
They complimented her passion and commitment to their son’s care. “Her empathy was exceptional,” they wrote. “Not only did she tend to him with a gentle voice and reassuring touch, but she also did her best to help us as tired, stressed parents.”
“Brittny is kind, passionate, and extremely patient,” one of her patients wrote in her nomination for the award. “If I had any questions, Brittny made sure to provide her full attention, take the time to understand my concerns, and made sure I fully understood what to expect with my care. It is clear that Brittny loves what she does and has a strong passion for helping care for others.”
Chip believes in having a purpose in life. He sometimes talks to patients about that. “You have to have a reason to get up in the morning,” is how he puts it.
His purpose, of course, is to be there for his patients. He gives 100 percent of himself to his patients and their families. And when he leaves at the end of a shift, even a really hard shift, he says a prayer, thankful that he was able to be strong for his patients. He has also started writing down stories of all the patients who have touched his heart over the years.
Earlier this year, Chip had a young male patient in his 30s who spent a month in the hospital. Chip poured his energy into caring for him, and as a result, he became very close to him and his dad. When the patient went home, his father sent a picture of him to Chip so he could see how well he was doing.
“That’s what it’s all about.”
To read more nominations of the 2020 DAISY Award winners, please follow the links below.
- Olivia Thompson
- Janet Reyes
- Ivy La
- Bryan Witham
- Stephanie Mitchell
- Cameron Guffey
- Samuel Nanor
- Tiffany Chappell
- Kara Yourczek
- Tia Schlangen
- William Spencer
At AMN Healthcare, we are committed to providing our clients with the nurse staffing they need to care for their patients. Whether you need travel nurse staffing services for your acute-care facility, permanent staff nurses for your medical practice, experienced home care nurse staffing, interim nurse leaders, or the flexibility of per-diem or international nurse staffing options, AMN Healthcare can connect you to the largest and most diverse pool of nurse staffing candidates in the country.
With award-winning nurses serving our clients across the country, we are proud to partner with you as you strive to provide high-quality care.