Highpoint Health Emergency Department Nurse Honored With Daisy Award

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

Sarah Britz, RN, Highpoint Health Emergency Department Nurse (center) is presented daisies in recognition of her receipt of the national DAISY Award by the nursing staff of Highpoint Health, (left to right) Dawn Walcott, RN, BSN, Highpoint Health Director of Patient Care Services; April Poole, RN, Highpoint Health Emergency Department Unit Manager; Angela Scudder, RN, MSN, CENP, Chief Nursing Officer; and Belinda Eldridge, RN, Highpoint Health Nursing Development and Recruitment Coordinator. Photo provided. 

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - When her aunt, Norma Lee Heeke, became very ill, Chari McGill and her family brought her to the Emergency Department of Highpoint Health.  The nurse who took care of Mrs. Heeke was Sarah Britz, RN, Highpoint Health Emergency Department Nurse, a resident of Bright.

Ms. Britz’s care for the 92-year-old Mrs. Heeke before her passing greatly impressed the family.  A month later, Ms. McGill nominated Ms. Britz for the national DAISY Award to thank her publicly for the extraordinary care she provided.

DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.  The DAISY Foundation, located in Glen Ellen, California, recognizes nurses around the world for outstanding care and dedication to their patients.  Highpoint Health has been honoring its nurses quarterly with the DAISY Award since 2016.

Ms. McGill penned a very complimentary message on the DAISY application form.  She wrote, “Sarah not only did everything possible to get her comfortable and pain-free, but she also kept our family as comfortable as she could during the process of getting her to her room…Thank you, Sarah, from the bottom of my entire family’s heart,” Ms. McGill concluded.

The Highpoint Health Emergency Department arranged a DAISY recognition event for Ms. Britz.  A large number of guests attended, both her own family and co-workers, as well as Ms. McGill’s family.  From Sarah’s family came her fiancé, Kenny McAllister; their 1-year-old daughter, Ellayne McAllister; and her mother and sister, Michelle and Jordan Britz. 

Some of the hospital staff attending were Belinda Eldridge, RN, Highpoint Health Nursing Development and Recruitment Coordinator; April Poole, RN, Highpoint Health Emergency Department Unit Manager; Angela Scudder, RN, MSN, CENP, Highpoint Health Chief Nursing Officer; and Dawn Walcott, RN, BSN, Highpoint Health Director of Patient Care Services.

Ms. McGill brought her cousin and his wife (the patient’s son and daughter-in-law) Garry and Cathy Heeke; and grandchildren Adreanna and Chris Heeke and Garry Wright to the recognition ceremony.  Both Ms. McGill and Mrs. Heeke work for or have worked for the hospital.  Ms. McGill is a Surgical Technologist and a Lead CP Technologist, and Norma Lee Heeke worked in Central Supply before she retired. 

DAISY Award recipients receive a certificate proclaiming them as an “Extraordinary Nurse,” a DAISY 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 www.daisyfoundation.org.  Hallmarks of DAISY celebrations are the Cinnabon® rolls available to all who attend.