FARMINGTON – Franklin Community Health Network (FCHN) has joined other MaineHealth campuses to become a DAISY Award Hospital Partner to honor nurses for the Daisy Award. It is also launching the BEE Award for recognizing the vital importance of non-nursing care team members.
The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care nurses give daily.
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established by J. Patrick Barnes’s family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. 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.
Each DAISY Award honoree will be recognized at a public ceremony in their unit and will receive: a certificate, a DAISY award pin and a hand-carved stone sculpture. To enhance the celebration, the entire unit will indulge in cinnamon rolls, a favorite of Patrick’s during his illness.
Just like a DAISY would not be able to grow without the help of the BEE, our nurses could not do what they do for our patients without the outstanding teamwork of other health care professionals. That’s why any non-nursing care team member at Franklin can be nominated for the BEE (Be Exceptional Every Day) Award.
Each BEE Award honoree will be recognized at a public ceremony in their department and receive a certificate and BEE Award pin.
“Patients and their family members, visitors, nurses, physicians, and our own care team members may nominate a deserving nurse for the DAISY award and any care team member who supports patient care—physical therapist, dietary aide, nursing assistant, patient safety assistant and many others—are eligible for the BEE Award,” said Deanna Orfanidis, chief nursing officer at Franklin. “We believe these awards will bring meaningful recognition to our care team and communicate our profound gratitude to the recipients.”
FCHN is asking for the public’s help in sharing their story of how a nurse or other care team member made a difference in their care or that of someone they know. We are looking forward to this exciting new way of recognizing the wonderful care our team provides for our patients.
Black nomination boxes containing Daisy and Bee nomination forms have been strategically placed on the Franklin campus in waiting areas for easy access. Online nominations can also be submitted at fchn.org/recognize.
For additional information, please contact Tania Dawson, MSN, RN, manager of clinical operations and the Daisy coordinator at 207-779-2554.
