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Winchester Hospital Recognizes ‘Extraordinary Nurse’ Barbara Smith
Patient’s Family Nominates North Reading Nurse for DAISY Award
Winchester, Mass. – Barbara Smith, RN, recently received Winchester Hospital’s DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses after being nominated by a patient’s family.
Smith, of North Reading, cared for the nominating family’s 92-year-old grandfather before he passed away. The family commended her for providing excellent care and helping him remain comfortable in the final days of his life.
One family member called Smith an “angel,” as her presence was a welcome comfort for the grieving family. The family said Smith was always attentive, but also gave them privacy to say goodbye.
Winchester Hospital has joined hundreds of medical facilities across the country in honoring extraordinary nurses with a DAISY Award each month. Based in Glen Ellen, Calif., the non-profit DAISY Foundation was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 – at age 33 – from complications of the autoimmune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The DAISY Award, which stands for “Diseases Attacking the Immune System,” was established by Barnes’ wife and parents as a gesture of thanks to nurses nationwide for the profound difference they make in the lives of patients and their families.
“When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide to acutely ill patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do,” said Bonnie Barnes, president and co-founder of the DAISY Foundation. “The kind of work the nurses at Winchester Hospitalare called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of the DAISY Award.”
In recognition of her selection, Smith received a DAISY Award pin and sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which was hand-carved by artists of the Shona tribe in Africa. She was also presented with a certificate that 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.”
About Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital is the first community hospital in Massachusetts to earn Magnet recognition, the American Nurses Association’s highest honor for nursing excellence. As the northwest suburban Boston area’s leading provider of comprehensive health care services, the 229-bed facility provides care in orthopedics, general and vascular surgery, pediatrics, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, oncology, gastroenterology, rehabilitation, radiation oncology, pain management, obstetrics/gynecology and a Level IIB Special Care Nursery. Winchester Hospital has clinical affiliations with several nationally recognized hospitals in the region, including Children’s Hospital Boston, Tufts Medical Center and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. To learn more, visit www.winchesterhospital.org. |
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