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CMH nurse honored with DAISY Award by Heather Woolwine Public Relations Cindy Hough, R.N., Transplant unit educator and former Nurse Alliance chair, said when she arrived at Charleston Memorial Hospital, she knew right away who June’s DAISY Award winner was when she walked in. “I’m setting everything up and bringing all this stuff in here and here she comes, asking if she can help with anything. I thought to myself, ‘this has to be Marvetta.’”   Marvetta Daniels, R.N., Charleston Memorial Hospital Transitional Care Unit, was named the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award winner for June and was recognized by her peers, supervisors and hospital administration for her outstanding work.   Daniels was surprised in the nature of all past DAISY winners after she finished working the night shift Aug. 4. Most of the patients who receive care in Daniels’ unit have little to no funding for their health care, and many do not have any family support while trying to recover. Rising beyond her nurse’s oath, Daniels was described as caring for her patients even after she leaves the floor.   Hough read from her nomination: “TCU becomes their (the patients’) family during their recovery. Marvetta oftentimes washes clothes for patients and brings in food for them that they would prefer to eat. She worries about her patients’ nutrition and if she can bring something from home to improve their appetite, she will. She takes the extra time to see that all of their care needs are met even if that means doing it herself.”   Touted as a wonderful role model for her 14-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son, Daniels, also a single mother, was admired for always bringing the best she has to offer to work. She was commended for her positive attitude and treating her coworkers and patients with dignity and respect. “She is proactive and not reactive; she never comes up with a problem but always has an idea for making the TCU a better place for her patients and co-workers. To single out one act of kindness that she has done for a patient would be an oversight, because there are too many to mention. What an incredible asset to MUSC. She is what nurses should strive to be. We thank God for her everyday,” a peer said in her nomination letter.   The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation was established by J. Mark Barnes and his family in memory of his son, Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.   Daniels received an African Shona Tribe sculpture entitled, “A Healer’s Touch,” a framed certificate, fresh daisies, and a DAISY Award pin. The DAISY Foundation also delivered cinnamon rolls to all the nurses in her unit. Cinnamon rolls were a favorite of Patrick’s, and he frequently asked his father to bring them to the nurses as his way of saying thanks.   The DAISY award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day and is co-sponsored by Sandpiper Retirement Community, a continuum of care retirement community in Mount Pleasant.   MUSC is among 75 medical facilities currently honoring nurses with The DAISY Award. This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation whose overall goal is to help fight diseases of the immune system.   For more information or to nominate someone for the DAISY Award, go to http://www.musc.edu/medcenter/formsToolbox/daisy-award.htm.     Friday, Aug. 11, 2006 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Island Publications at 849-1778, ext. 201.