27 APR 2016

Extraordinary NorthBay Nurse Earns DAISY Award



 Jennifer Parham, R.N., was the first NorthBay Healthcare nurse to receive the coveted DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at a presentation in front of her peers April 27, at the NorthBay Healthcare Administration Center.

When presented the award by Traci Duncan, vice president and chief nursing officer, Parham was moved to tears.

“I’m speechless,” said Parham, who works on Unit 1800 at NorthBay Medical Center. “I was just doing what I do every day. It’s amazing to get an award for what you do naturally.”

Six other nurses were honored with nominations and received pins at the award presentation. They are: Mylene Crus, Peter Dhaliwal, Graci Acosta, Kami Hansra, Jamil Ilagan and Lucia Valdez.
The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.  

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, 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.

Four times a year, a nurse will be selected by NorthBay’s DAISY Selection Committee to receive the award, according to Sandy Piedra, R.N., director of Emergency Services Sandy Piedra, director of Emergency Services, reads what a patient wrote to nominate Jennifer Parham, R.N., for the DAISY Award.and Joan Forbush, R.N., director of Clinical Support Services and Acute Care, NorthBay’s DAISY program co-coordinators.

“We all think that we are just doing our jobs, but we’re not,” Piedra told the audience during the presentation. “We’re making a difference in the lives of our patients.”

Parham’s nomination came from a patient, who was having a rough time.

“I want you to know that just sitting and being able to talk to you has put my mind at rest and helped me smile during this difficult time,” she wrote. “The wonderful, professional yet playful attitude helped me remain calm while we were dealing with an IV situation. There aren’t enough words in the world to express my forever gratitude to you and our new-found friendship.”

Parham received a certificate commending her for being 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." She also received a sculpture called, “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

A special video message from DAISY Foundation co-founder Bonnie Barnes was shown, explaining theNominees for the first NorthBay DAISY Award and winner Jennifer Parham pose with nursing leadership during the awards ceremony. program and welcoming NorthBay into the group.

"When my son Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Barnes. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at NorthBay are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

Barnes explained that one day while her son was in the hospital, he asked his family to bring him a Cinnabon® cinnamon roll, plus enough for all the nurses in his unit.  

“With the help of Cinnabon’s parent company, FOCUS Brands, The DAISY Foundation carries on this tradition by serving Cinnabons to all the nurses in the Award recipient’s unit in thanks for everything they do for their patients and families,” she said.

At the April presentation, all nurses attending were treated to Cinnabons.

The award is not new to Duncan, who has worked at two other hospitals where DAISY Awards were part of the fabric of the institution.

“It’s exciting to bring this excellent program to NorthBay,” she said. “Our 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.”

More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org. Forms to nominate a NorthBay nurse can be found online at NorthBay.org/DAISY.

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