O’Shea receives DAISY Award

Bothwell Regional Health Center recently presented its latest DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to Reilly O’Shea.

The DAISY Award is for patients and their families to nominate nurses who give outstanding, compassionate and skillful care. O’Shea, a Registered Nurse in the Progressive Care Unit, was nominated by Robin Holloway.

“As the spouse of a recent patient, I wanted this young nurse to be recognized for the wonderful job she did caring for my husband,” Holloway said. “Her skill and empathy were greatly appreciated by us both. She also went above and beyond to teach my spouse the importance of quitting smoking for his health.”

O’Shea graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2022, began working at Bothwell as a nurse resident in June 2023 and became an RN last December. She said she’s always had a passion for caring for others and trying to make a difference in their lives.

“People are experiencing some of their lowest moments when they’re in the hospital, so the opportunity to make their hospital experience a little more positive was what drove me into this career,” she said. “I love that the medical field is always changing and no two days are ever the same.”

Megan Elwood, Bothwell Nursing Education RN, presented O’Shea 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 O’Shea’s name will appear on the DAISY Foundation website.

“Reilly is our first nurse resident to receive a DAISY Award,” Elwood said. “She is a young nurse with overflowing compassion for her patients and their health and well-being and treats everyone with the kindness and respect they deserve. She makes each patient feel special and loved, and we’re thankful to have her on our team.”

O’Shea said she remembers caring for the patient and talking with his wife, Robin, who nominated her and the level of trust they built during his stay. She is honored to receive the DAISY Award and is grateful to know that she’s making an impact as a nurse.

“I remember the sound of his lungs when I assessed him and, to this day, I have never heard anything like it,” she said. “We talked about how smoking plays a huge factor in poor health conditions and the different avenues he could take to quit smoking. I then met his wife and told her the same information. This award makes me feel like I’m truly making a personal impact on my patients and their families.”

Holloway, who now works at the hospital as a Constant Observer, gets to see O’Shea in action on a regular basis.

“I wasn’t working at the hospital when I nominated Reilly,” she said. “Now that I work here, I see her all the time interacting with patients and coworkers. She shows grace, patience and extreme care for everyone she encounters. Her sweet nature shows through in everything that she does, which not only puts patients at ease, but also families. She is such a joy.”

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 6,000 health care facilities and schools of nursing around the world, including 39 countries and territories. 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, Stacey Nassar, Helen Fisher, Donna Cline, Linda Lower and Sarah Cordes are previous recipients.

To learn more or to submit a nomination, visit brhc.org/daisy.