Eva Cherry, RN, Announced as First Daisy Award Winner at TBH

            Eva Cherry, registered nurse in the Family Birthing Center at The Bellevue Hospital (TBH), was honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ® on Dec. 18, 2020. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care nurses provide patients and families every day. 

            The Awards program at TBH began in January 2020 and nominations were collected during this past year. Eva was one of 16 nurses at TBH to receive a nomination. She was chosen as The DAISY Award recipient for the consistent quality service she provides to the mothers, babies and support persons in the Family Birthing Center.

             "Due to COVID-19, my mother/birth coach could not be with me. As my labor became more intense, Eva came in and began to coach me to help me relax and brought my focus back to the delivery of my baby," said nominator Colleen Jesberger. "Eva stepped into a role that was above and beyond the requirements of her job. She proved that her passion for nursing is more than what could ever be printed in a job description. The compassion, care and love she showed me - an otherwise complete stranger - will never be forgotten. She made the delivery my most joyous and happy experience."

            In addition to Colleen's nomination, Eva received six other DAISY nominations, all noting the kindness, strength and dedication she provides to her patients.  

            The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family.  Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from 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 patient families.

            “We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in The DAISY Award program,” said Sara Brokaw, vice president of patient care services at TBH. “ Nurses are heroes every day.  It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that.”         

            Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at TBH to receive The DAISY Award. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the Honoree’s colleagues. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her or him as an "Extraordinary Nurse."  The certificate reads: "In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people." Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

            Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, "When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do.  The kind of work the nurses at The Bellevue Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”     

              In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of direct care Nurses, Nurse-led Teams, Nurse Leaders, Nursing Faculty, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

              If you would like to nominate an extraordinary nurse at The Bellevue Hospital for The DAISY Award, visit www.daisynomination.org/tbh.