Highpoint Health Daisy Winner Stayed Over To Care For Patient, Family

Sunman resident George Dever thanked nurse Amber Smith for the excellent care she provided for Mr. Dever’s late wife during her stay at Highpoint Health.

George Dever of Sunman (center) returned to Highpoint Health to thank its staff for the care they gave to his wife, Joanne, before she passed.  Mr. Dever nominated Staff Nurse Amber Smith, RN, (with the bouquet) for a DAISY Award for the special care she gave to Mrs. Dever. Highpoint Health nurses at the DAISY recognition were (left to right) Belinda Eldridge, RN, Nursing Development and Recruitment Coordinator; Dawn Walcott, BSN, RN, Director of Patient Care Services; Angela Scudder, MSN, RN, CENP, Chief Nursing Officer; Kim Swanson, RN, Surgical Floor and Wound & Vascular Center Manager; and Jacquelyn Bolling, BSN, RN-PCCN, O’Brien Unit Manager. Photo provided.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Each nurse at Highpoint Health who is chosen for a national DAISY Award is recognized and thanked for a different reason.

The latest recipient, Amber Smith, RN, Staff Nurse, stayed over to help a family whose wife and mother was passing.  Mrs. Smith continued working long after her night shift had ended to make sure the family would not have to start over with new clinical care staff members and possible repetitive questions.

George Dever of Sunman, husband of patient Joanne Dever, was the person who nominated Mrs. Smith for the award.  In the DAISY nomination form Mr. Dever completed, he specifically detailed the exceptional care that Mrs. Smith provided to both the patient and her family.

Mr. Dever mentioned in his nomination letter several small caregiving routines that helped his wife and family be more comfortable, such as applying moisturizer to his wife’s chapped lips,  ordering a meal for him when he hadn’t eaten, and hanging up a quote which read, “Wherever a beautiful soul has been, there is a trail of beautiful memories” so that all visitors could read it in the room.

“After spending time with George and his family, hearing how much Joanne meant to them, I scoured the Internet looking for a quote that might give the family some peace of mind,” Mrs. Smith recalled.  “The morning she passed away, I stayed over to support the Devers so they would have continuity of nursing care in this difficult time.  All patients need to know that their nurses truly care.”

Mrs. Smith will soon celebrate her one-year anniversary with Highpoint Health, having started in July of 2018.  She was a night shift nurse on the hospital’s Surgical Floor and just recently transferred to the O’Brien Unit.  She lives in Milan with her husband, Keith, and their daughters, Kelli, 22; Hailey, 17; and Alaina, 7.

Highpoint Health has been honoring its nurses quarterly with the DAISY Award since 2016.

DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.  The DAISY Foundation, headquartered in Glen Ellen, California, recognizes nurses around the world for outstanding care and dedication to their patients. 

DAISY Award recipients receive a certificate proclaiming them as an “Extraordinary Nurse,” an award pin, a hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture from Zimbabwe entitled, “A Healer’s Touch,” and, of course, daisies.  In addition, they are featured on the DAISY Foundation’s website at daisyfoundation.org.  A special feature of all DAISY celebrations are the Cinnabon^® rolls available to all who attend.

When Highpoint Health Staff Nurse Amber Smith, RN, (with the bouquet) was recognized with the DAISY Award at the hospital, her family (left to right): Hailey, Alaina, Keith and Kelli Smith, came to surprise her at the ceremony. Photo provided.