Holzer Recognizes DAISY Recipient

Holzer Recognizes DAISY Recipient

Emily Shank, BSN, RN, CEN, Emergency Department Charge Nurse, was recently honored with The DAISY Award®. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's programs to recognize the above and beyond efforts nurses perform every day.

The nomination submitted by a recent Holzer patient read, "Emily exemplifies what it truly means to be an extraordinary nurse. During a very frightening and uncertain medical situation, Emily was a blessing. Emily had already worked a 12-hour shift yet still went above and beyond to make sure I received the care I needed. When it became clear that I required a transfer to another facility, and wait times were long for transport, Emily didn't hesitate to find a solution. Emily drove me in a squad after her 12-hour shift. Her willingness to step in and help even after an exhausting shift showed an incredible level of dedication, compassion, and commitment to patient care. What makes Emily even more remarkable is that her care did not stop when her shift ended. Days after this event, she reached out to check on me and see how I was doing. That small but meaningful act showed how deeply she cares about the people she treats, not just as patients, but as individuals. In one of the scariest moments of my life, Emily was calm, supportive, and determined to help. Her kindness and selflessness made an unforgettable impact on me. Nurses like Emily are the reason patients feel safe and cared for even in the most difficult moments. She truly embodies the spirit of the DAISY award, and I am incredibly grateful for the care and compassion she showed me.

DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem. 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.

Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, CEO and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, "When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Holzer are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award."

Nominations for the DAISY award can be submitted by patients, patients' family members, peers, and providers. The award honors LPNs and RNs across every division of care in the Holzer system, including: acute/hospital, post-acute/long-term care, and ambulatory/outpatient. Nomination forms can be found throughout all Holzer facilities and online at www.holzer.org/DAISY-award. The nominations are verified before being shared with the Holzer DAISY committee to evaluate and score the applicants each month. In nominating an individual, a specific example or scenario of the nurse going above and beyond for a patient is required on the nomination form.

"The DAISY Award program shines a light on all the right," shared Susan Rowe, RN, MSN, CENP, C-EFM, CLS, Vice President, Nursing Services, Holzer Health System. "Through this program, we are able to meaningfully recognize the extraordinary contributions of nurses, and their efforts to create and sustain healthy work environments. We are honored to formally recognize Emily as a recipient of the DAISY award."

Emily began her career at Holzer in March 2019 in the Emergency Department at Gallipolis as a medical secretary. Since then, she has had the opportunity to grow within the department, advancing from secretary to LPN and then to RN. She has served as an Emergency Department Charge Nurse since 2023.

Emily is a graduate of Buckeye Hills Career Center, obtained her RN degree from the University of Rio Grande, and received her Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) from Chamberlain University.

When asked about working at Holzer, she shared, "Holzer has been such an important part of my nursing journey. The Emergency Department has truly become a second home to me. I am proud to work alongside people who care about our patients and our community, and I am grateful for the opportunity to care for many of the same families and neighbors who make this community home."

Emily resides in Meigs County with her husband, Jordan, and their four dogs, Ava, Smokey, Sylvie, and Willow. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and seeing new places and spending time with family.

When asked about receiving the award, Emily responded, "Receiving the DAISY award is incredibly meaningful to me. I am truly honored and humbled to be recognized. As an ED nurse, I often meet people on some of the worst, most frightening, and most uncertain days of their lives. I have always tried to remember that while it may be another busy day in the Emergency Department for us, for the person in that bed and their family, it may be a day they remember for the rest of their lives. I try to care for every patient the way I would want someone to care for my own family, with compassion, patience, respect and kindness. Sometimes the smallest things we do as nurses can make the biggest difference to someone who is scared, hurting, or simply needs to know that someone cares. I will always cherish receiving this award. It will remind me why I became a nurse, and why, even on the difficult days, I continue to love what I do."

To learn more about this program how The DAISY Award recognizes extraordinary nurses, please visit DAISYFoundation.org. To nominate an extraordinary Holzer nurse, visit www.holzer.org/DAISY-award or fill out a paper form at one of our locations.

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