Cookeville Regional Medical Center (CRMC) nurse Ellie Hicks, R.N., has been named the latest recipient of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
Hicks was nominated by a patient who praised her for the compassion, encouragement and support she provided during a challenging hospital stay.
“Ellie made such a positive impact on my and my husband’s hospital experience,” the patient wrote. “Unfortunately, I had a Cesarean section. I was extremely sore, tired and dependent on nurse assistance at times. She was reassuring and continued to praise my progress. Although I did not feel like I was making huge strides moving around, her statements impacted me. Every time she left the room, I felt more encouraged. She was very kind to my family throughout her shift.
“I was having some trouble breastfeeding and feeling discouraged. She quickly assisted and reassured me that I was doing a great job. Again, the positive statements gave me so much encouragement. I was very nervous about getting my catheter removed and asked her about the pain. I appreciate that she was honest with me. She explained she had never had one, so she could not provide me with personal experience. However, she told me that mothers have said it was not as bad as they expected. She also stated they come out quickly. Her honesty made me respect her even more. It was painless, and her talking me through the process helped. I will say the next night, we were a little sad that she wasn’t our nurse because she was amazing!”
The DAISY Award is an international program that recognizes the extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care provided by nurses every day. Anyone—patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, clinicians or staff—may nominate a nurse who goes above and beyond in delivering exceptional care.
