DAISY Award

July 26, 2023

“She made me feel like my mother’s intuition was absolutely correct,” and other DAISY Award-winning examples of extraordinary nurses (Part 1 of 2)

DAISY Awards are given to great nurses all over the United States and in many other countries. Here are VUMC’s latest winners.

By: Matt Batcheldor

Four times each year, VUMC Voice spotlights recipients of The DAISY Award, a recognition for extraordinary nurses who exemplify compassion toward patients and families.

VUMC distributes the award in partnership with The DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 1999 to honor the memory of J. Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old man who died of complications of the autoimmune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Barnes’ family was moved by the care they received from his nurses and wanted to recognize them to preserve his memory. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.

VUMC nurse committees determine the individual recipients. Previous recipients of the DAISY Award are here. The award is open to all licensed nurses, and anyone can nominate — including co-workers, patients and their families. Nominations may be made here.

Here are some of the latest recipients of the DAISY Award:

Rebecca Baggett, RN. Unit: Emergency Department, Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital

Rebecca Baggett. From the nomination: “I received one of the most unexpected wake up calls — my grandmother was headed emergently via EMS to the ER for a stroke … Rebecca went out of her way to ensure my family was comfortable while in the ER and lobby. She would take moments out of her busy day and patient load to walk all the way out to the lobby and give us personal updates. If it were not for Rebecca, our visit would have been nothing but miserable and frightening. She even assisted us until the moment my grandmother was wheeled out of the department. Rebecca even checked up on us a few days later during my grandmother’s admission. I am very thankful for rare nurses like Rebecca.” Photo by Susan Urmy.

Devon Barton, BSN, RN. Unit: Emergency Department, Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital

Devon Barton. From the nomination: “I showed up to the ER with my 5-month old baby girl who had tested positive for RSV two days prior. I had already taken my child to multiple doctors, urgent cares and ER clinics when I had lost all hope. She had gone 12 hours with no wet or poopy diapers and 12 hours without a feeding. As soon as Devon saw my baby girl in the ER triage, she immediately took her in as if she were her own and went to work. She assured me that my concerns were valid, and she was shocked it had gotten this far without the help of others. Devon was the only nurse who made me feel like I wasn’t crazy, and that my mother’s intuition was absolutely correct. She got us into a room, and on oxygen ASAP and from there she never left our side.”

Holley Cully, RN. Unit: Internal Medicine Leadership Team, Vanderbilt Adult Ambulatory Clinics

Holley Cully. From the nomination: “Holley has consistently gone above and beyond expectations to help me obtain needed medical care. For example, several times during the COVID-19 pandemic I developed a skin infection which worsened rapidly within hours and was very painful … Holley was extremely responsive in making sure I received doctoral and medical care, and that I received an antibiotic prescription that quickly fought the infection and relieved the excruciating pain I was in. This made a tremendous difference in my life, as she more than once worked extra to ensure that I was taken care of before night came or a weekend began and care would be hard to get.” Photo by Erin O. Smith.

Brady Hancock, BSN, RN, CPN. Unit: Pediatric Surgery, Trauma, Adolescent Medicine, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

Brady Hancock. From the nomination: “Brady has proven to be calm, kind, compassionate and professional (both in demeanor and communication) in high acuity situations, promoting and ensuring the safety and well-being of both his patients and his colleagues. Patients on the Behavioral Health Team are patients that present to our hospital in acute behavioral health crisis (suicidal, homicidal, aggressive). They have undergone a crisis assessment in the Emergency Department, and the recommendation is for acute inpatient psychiatric hospitalization due to risk of harm to self or others. … Brady deserves this DAISY Award for his steadfast compassion and professionalism in the most difficult of situations.” Photo by Donn Jones.

To see part 2 of this quarter’s VUMC DAISY Award winners, click here.

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