Diabetes Services Educator Receives St. Agnes Hospital DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses Honor 

***SUBMITTED ARTICLE***

Jennifer Rasmussen, RN, a diabetes care and education specialist with Diabetes Services, was recently recognized with a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses winner at SSM Health St. Agnes Hospital. 

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® is part of The DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day.   

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. 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. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) 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. 

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by the Professional Development Council at St. Agnes Hospital based on specific criteria to receive The DAISY Award. Awards are presented to one recipient on a quarterly basis at celebrations attended by the honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors.   

Rasmussen was nominated by a colleague who wrote: 

“Jennifer is always going the extra mile to serve her patients and our team. However, she recently assisted in giving incredibly kind, patient, individualized care to a patient in need. This patient had a new diagnosis of diabetes complicated by a severe learning disability that impacted his ability to learn self-management strategies. He was very fearful and emotional about making changes in his lifestyle, as he thrived on routines. In particular, he was struggling with understanding how to make good choices at the grocery store but wanted to stay independent in shopping for himself. Jen took a lot of her time to make him a picture book of foods that were health for him to buy to make decisions easier for him at the store.  He left that appointment expressing feeling better about his diabetes and ability to manage it. He also was extremely happy to learn he still had many options in his diet. This is what outstanding, commitment to individualized, compassionate care should always be. Jennifer aways demonstrated quality of being an excellent nurse but her care today demonstrates that she is among the best of the best and deserving of an award honoring her extraordinary care and compassion for others.” 

Rasmussen was recognized recently during a brief ceremony. She received a certificate commending her as an “Extraordinary Nurse.”  The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin, and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.  

“When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” according to Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Agnes Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.” 

More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.