Winchester Hospital Recognizes ‘Extraordinary Nurse’ Cathy Hutchins

Winchester, Mass. – Cathy Hutchins, RN, did not act like she had done anything special at the time, but her dedication to an urgent and unique patient situation recently earned her the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

 

A patient recently arrived at hematology/oncology with an ostomy that was not working properly. It was causing the patient much discomfort in addition to putting her at significant risk for infection. Aware that the ostomy bag was a special order, the nurse in hematology/oncology, quickly contacted Hutchins at Winchester Home Care. Hutchins, a resident of North Andover, immediately contacted the supplier and arranged for prompt delivery of a new ostomy bag.

 

In addition, the hematology/oncology nurse recognized that the patient had difficulty changing the bag. She again reached out to Hutchins who immediately scheduled a home nursing visit for that evening (at the same time the new bag would arrive). The patient was visited that evening by a home care nurse, who taught the patient how to effectively manage and change the ostomy bag and how to identify if there are any problems with the product.

 

"Cathy has been a key contributor to the overall success of the home care department,” said Karen Keaney, executive director of Winchester Home Care. “While the DAISY Award recognizes her for a specific situation where she demonstrated an unparalleled level of excellence, Cathy exemplifies these principles in every interaction she has with patients, families, team members and team members. Her actions consistently reflect patient-centered decision making and she expects the same from everyone involved in patient care.”

 

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.

 

 

 

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.