(May 19, 2022, Tifton, Ga.) – Garrett Tucker, BSN, RN Nurse at Tift Regional Medical Center was recently honored with The DAISY Team Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.
Garrett works in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Tift Regional Medical Center and has worked for Southwell for more than four years. He was nominated for the award because of the exceptional care he gave a terminally ill patient, including making a home cooked meal for the patient himself and picking up food especially for her in the cafeteria another day.
“Garrett is a positive asset to the ICU,” said Michael Thompson, ICU Manager. “He cares for his patients in such a compassionate way. He is a team player when it comes to this unit, and his co-workers think so much of him as an individual and as a nurse. I am so proud to have Garrett on our team.”
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by 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. 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.
“When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Tift Regional Medical Center are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses has been adopted by healthcare facilities around the world to celebrate nurses for their extraordinary care and compassion. The DAISY Team Award is for nurse-led teams of two or more who come together to solve a specific situation by going above and beyond. Nursing teams may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues, and they are chosen by a committee of nurses at Tift Regional Medical Center to receive The DAISY Team Award. The DAISY Team Award is presented once each year at a surprise presentation. Each member of the Nursing Team receives a certificate commending them for being an “Extraordinary Nurse.” The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are and the incredibly meaningful difference your teamwork makes in the lives of so many people.” The Team also receives a specially engraved plaque engraved with the name of the Team.
“We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in the DAISY Award program,” said Tonia Garrett, Chief Nursing Officer for Southwell. “Nurses like Garrett 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.”
The DAISY Award and DAISY Team Award are initiatives of The DAISY Foundation in service to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.
| Photo: L-R: Cara Goodwin, Director of Med Surg and Critical Care for Southwell; Tonia Garrett, Chief Nursing Officer for Southwell; Shelby Singletary; Sue Ann Tucker; Garrett Tucker; Craig Tucker; Chris Dorman, President and CEO of Southwell; and Michael Thompson, ICU Manager for Southwell. |
