Reid Health announces first DAISY Award honorees

Nov. 27, 2024 --Two RNs are being recognized for extraordinary care, compassion, and for putting their patients at ease during difficult situations.

Dawn Wadle, RN, Emergency Services, and Caitlin Bills, RN, Family Birthing Center, are the first recipients of The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® at Reid Health.

Wadle and Bills were honored at a surprise celebration attended by their nominator, colleagues, patients, and visitors.

Honorees receive an "Extraordinary Nurse" certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and sculpture called "A Healer's Touch," hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. Cinnamon rolls baked by Sweet Blessings are provided for the recipient's unit to share as part of the celebration.

Wadle is the October DAISY honoree. She was nominated by a co-worker for providing care to a special-needs patient who was brought to the ER in the middle of an abusive home situation.

"The patient came to us with soiled, wet, and foul-smelling clothing. While on shift, Dawn cleaned up and provided comfort to the patient," the co-worker said. "After her shift ended, Dawn left and went to a store where she purchased brand new shoes, clothing, underwear, and hygiene products for this individual, spending almost $200 of her own money.

"The love and compassion shown by Dawn went way beyond the scope of requirement. She is a truly compassionate individual who goes above and beyond for her patients and deserves recognition for her care."

Wadle is a Connersville native. She joined Reid in May 2015. Wadle said she's totally in awe of receiving the DAISY Award and feels it's a big accomplishment.

"Being an exceptional nurse means you treat your patients and family like you want to be treated. I like to treat my patients as if they're my family," Wadle said.

A labor and delivery patient nominated November's DAISY honoree.

The patient said from the time she was admitted, Bills helped her to feel welcome and comfortable despite a seven-hour labor with no cervical change and her baby's fetal heart rate decelerations (FHR decels). "She talked me through the fear of having to have a C-section. She kept me talking and made me feel safe. I was terrified, and she helped me continuously find the light in the situation," the patient said.

Bills answered every question with a smile, the patient said, helping to make her first long-term hospital stay, and her first delivery, an unforgettable week.

A Richmond resident, Bills is originally from Connersville. She joined Reid's Family Birthing Center in June 2023.

"It's very touching to receive the DAISY Award," Bills said. "It was so nice to see the patient and her baby again, and I'm incredibly appreciative she took the time to not only nominate me but to come to hospital to watch me receive the award."

"Being an exceptional nurse can mean many different things, especially with the wide variety of nursing careers, but helping people transition into the role of motherhood is something I'm very passionate about. I know firsthand it's one of the hardest experiences there is. I'm grateful to work on a floor where I not only get to help mothers welcome their babies into the world but also follow through and help them transition through their postpartum recovery."

The DAISY recognition program opened for nominations in October 2024. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues at any time.

"We're proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in The DAISY Award program," said Misti Foust-Cofield, Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer at Reid Health. "Nurses exceed expectations every day. The work our nurses do is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us and others in the community to acknowledge their efforts and dedication."

About the DAISY Foundation
The DAISY Award is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Award was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family after he passed away from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received 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.

The cinnamon rolls are part of that thank you and are a celebration tradition. Patrick had lost his appetite for food, but one day he ate his father's cinnamon roll when he was in the hospital. He then requested one for the next day and enough for all the nurses in the unit. Now when nurses smell the cinnamon's aroma, they're encouraged to remember not to take for granted the things they do for patients, because they surely do not. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

"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, extraordinary, compassionate work they do," said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, Doctor of Humane Letters (h.c) and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation. "The kind of work the nurses at Reid Health are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award."

To nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award, visit https://www.reidhealth.org/daisy-award.