Nassar receives DAISY Award
Bothwell Regional Health Center recently presented its latest DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to Stacey Nassar.
The DAISY Award is for patients and their families to nominate nurses who give outstanding, compassionate and skillful care. Nassar, a Registered Nurse (RN) since 2017 in Women’s Health and Newborn Care was nominated by Brittany Rieves.
“I recently had my baby at Bothwell and Stacey was my main nurse,” Rieves said. “Not only was she caring and compassionate, but she also really helped me stay calm when my newborn had to be transferred to the NICU at MU in Columbia. Stacey’s calm reassurances made all the difference to me.”
Nassar said she understood exactly how Brittany Rieves was feeling that day. She has five boys of her own, three of which spent the first week of their lives in the NICU. After that, she returned to school to become a nurse so she could give new mothers the caring experience she had.
“I was placed in Brittney and Ashlyn’s life at a time that I could truly help out because I had been the mom whose baby had to be transferred,” Nassar said. “I knew her pain and fear, but this time I also knew the medical care that was needed and was able to help explain things and to be a shoulder to cry on.”
Megan Elwood, Bothwell Nursing Education RN, presented Nassar with a certificate commending 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 Nassar’s name will appear on the DAISY Foundation website.
“Stacey is well deserving of this award and recognition,” Elwood said. “She has an uncanny ability to not only form trusting relationships with parents but also with the infants. I know this personally because Stacey was one of my nurses when I had my youngest child.”
Nassar was shocked to be recognized for her service and was thrilled to see Brittany and Ashlyn again.
“As a nurse in labor and delivery, I have the privilege of being present at the birth of a family and in most cases, I’m part of the background in the process, offering care and support as needed,” Nassar said. “I was speechless knowing that my knowledge helped her. That makes it all worth it.”
While it’s not common for nominators to attend DAISY Award presentation ceremonies, Rieves couldn’t miss it.
“When I was panicking about being away from my baby, Stacey was right there to encourage me,” she said. “I don’t think I could have handled my hospital stay without her. She truly made a difference.”
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 and Seth Stotts are previous recipients.
To learn more or to submit a nomination, visit brhc.org/daisy.
