Extraordinary nurses recognized at Memorial Medical Center

 Nurses at Memorial Medical Center are being honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®. This award is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day.

The DAISY Award recipients at Memorial Medical Center for the second quarter of 2020 are Brian Hernandez and Patrisha Orona. Hernandez and Orona were nominated by family members of the patients they cared for in our facility.

 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.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at Memorial Medical Center to receive The DAISY Award. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the Honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors. 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 Memorial are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

“We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in The DAISY Award program, said Caryn Iverson, Chief Nursing Officer, Memorial Medical Center. “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.”

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

Would you like to express gratitude to a Memorial Medical Center nurse that went above and beyond? Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and physicians. To nominate a nurse from Memorial for the DAISY Award online please visit: DaisyNomination.org/mmclc

About Memorial Medical Center– At Memorial Medical they are committed to providing excellent care to our community. Their facilities provide comprehensive services to residents throughout Southern New Mexico. They strive to offer the latest technology in imaging services, orthopedics, cancer, and cardiac care. Their commitment to high-quality care is strong. Their team is committed to providing compassionate care and they bring new and innovative programs to show who matters the most - our communities.