Charlevoix Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Standfest, left, DAISY winner Theresa Saur, Charlevoix
Hospital President Joanne Schroeder, and Munson Healthcare Eastern Region President Kirsten
Korth-White celebrate the DAISY Award recognition.
A Charlevoix Emergency Department nurse’s compassion and healing touch made the day for her patient.
Her daughter witnessed that compassion and nominated Charlevoix Hospital’s Theresa Saur, RN, for the DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses. That nomination ultimately resulted in a nursing committee choosing Theresa as the DAISY winner for the year.
Chief Nursing Officer Jennifer Standfest, MSN, RN, said 20 nurses received DAISY nominations at the hospital during the past year, some of them multiple times. Eight nurses were selected as finalists and Theresa was selected as the award winner.
The patient’s daughter described Theresa’s nursing skills as “one-of-a-kind” and outlined how Theresa saw her mother’s dry skin and then proceeded to get lotion and apply it on her arms, legs, and back.
“Mom really liked that! When she was admitted to the hospital, she said ‘I really liked that first nurse,’” the patient wrote. “She took care of mom like she was caring for her own mom. She treated mom with such grace, care, patience, and respect, ensuring mom was comfortable, listened to, and well cared for.”
Theresa who has worked at the hospital for two years called being nominated for the award as something that brought “joy and gratitude.”
“I was speechless when my name was called for the actual DAISY Award at the ceremony,” she said. “Tears of happiness rolled down my face. Being a nurse is not easy by any means, but is very fulfilling to me. Winning the DAISY Award confirms that I am where I am supposed to be in my journey.”
As a DAISY winner, Theresa received a DAISY certificate, pin, and hand-carved serpentine stone statue entitled “Healer’s Touch.”
Other nurses nominated for the award included Allison Dann, Chad Gardner, Elizabeth Barutt, Kara Wiatrolik, Kate Bellau, Lydia Spencer, Megan Smithburg, Rachel Swanson, Sarah Massey, Sherry Kirby, Bethany Splitt, Connor Mills, Kacey Wojan, Kate Chanda, Katelyn Kan, Margie Golovich, Nick Bergstrom, Rebecca Rohrer, and Shaunee McKenney.
The DAISY Award is a national recognition established in 1999 by a Seattle, Wash., family who wanted to honor nurses who go above and beyond in providing care – the kind of care they witnessed at a Seattle facility as their son, Patrick, fought but eventually died of an auto immune disease.