Fisher receives DAISY Award
Bothwell Regional Health Center recently presented its latest DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to Helen Fisher.
The DAISY Award is for patients and their families to nominate nurses who give outstanding, compassionate and skillful care. Fisher, a Registered Nurse (RN) since 1987 in Women’s Health and Newborn Care, was nominated by Gabby White.
“I came in for a surgery recently and remembered Helen from when she helped deliver my second baby in 2019,” White said. “I was having a lot of pain while in certain positions and couldn’t determine why. Helen came in later that evening, discovered what was causing my discomfort and did everything necessary to make me more comfortable.”
Fisher began her career as a Certified Nurse Assistant, transitioned to a Licensed Practical Nurse and then returned to school to become a Registered Nurse. Throughout nursing school, she was always drawn to labor and delivery and caring for women and babies. After over 20 years at Bothwell, Fisher feels honored to receive the DAISY Award from a patient she cared for not once, but twice.
“Four years ago, I helped Gabby deliver her daughter,” Fisher said. “This past year, she returned to have surgery on our unit and I had the pleasure of taking care of her again. She remembered me, and I remembered her. Gabby is the nicest person, and it brought tears to my eyes that she went out of her way to attend the ceremony and receive the DAISY Award from a patient special to me.”
Megan Elwood, Bothwell Nursing Education RN, presented Fisher with a certificate congratulating her for being an “Extraordinary Nurse.” She also received a box of cinnamon rolls, a daisy bouquet, a DAISY Award pin and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa. A DAISY Award banner recognizing her will hang in the unit and Fisher’s name will appear on the DAISY Foundation website.
“Helen is an outstanding nurse and so deserving of this award,” Elwood said. “To make an impact on Gabby not once, but twice, is evidence of Helen’s exceptional patient care. As a nurse, our job is to make our patients as comfortable as possible in often uncomfortable circumstances. Helen’s remarkable ability to make Gabby’s delivery and surgery experiences more pleasant is a characteristic of a great nurse.”
White was honored to be able to attend Fisher’s award presentation and see her be recognized for her hard work and care.
“I wanted to nominate Helen because she is an old school nurse with all of the secrets,” she said. “She lowered my stress levels and helped me through labor and surgery. I am so grateful for Helen.”
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was started in 1999 in Glen Ellen, California, by members of the family of Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 of complications from an autoimmune disease. The care his nurses provided was the inspiration for the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award.
An international award, the DAISY is awarded in more than 2,800 health care facilities in all 50 states and 17 countries. Bothwell Regional Health Center began recognizing its nurses with the DAISY Award in 2018. Jessica Wheeler, Shari Thomasson, Shasta Nardi, Courtney Rumans, Sarah Plante, Connie Roll, Ronda McMullin, Sarah Fredrickson, Sherri Egbert, Leslie Shapley, Seth Stotts and Stacey Nassar are previous recipients.
To learn more or to submit a nomination, visit brhc.org/daisy.