A nurse at VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (VCU Health CMH) was recently honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses ®. The 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 was given to Stephanie Dorman, RN, of South Hill, for exemplary care of a patient in the Emergency Room. The patient stated in the nomination, “Stephanie Dorman’s fortitude and willingness was amazing and a true blessing to me. I was the fortunate person that night to be on the receiving end of her stellar performance as a nurse. There is no question she goes way beyond the call of duty to help her patients.”

“Stephanie Dorman exemplifies nursing at its best,” said ER Nurse Manager Tammy Mull, BSN, RN, CEN. “She is compassionate to patients, families and her co-workers. We are proud she is part of the VCU Health CMH team!”

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 or families. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at VCU Health CMH 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.

Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation said, "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 VCU Health CMH are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

Vice President of Patient Care Services/Chief Nursing Officer Mary Hardin, MSN, RN, OCN, NE-BC, said, “We are proud to be among the health care organizations participating in The DAISY Award program as it is a prestigious award for nursing. Nurses are true 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 more than 3,900 health care 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