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Compassion and care

VDMC?presents annual Daisy Award during National Nurses Week

— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Anne Blankenship
Wally Ubben was the 2019 Daisy Award winner for Van Diest Medical Center. He and the other nominees were honored Tuesday morning at the hospital. Also pictured are Amy McDonought, Chief Nursing Officer, Maureen Carver and Lisa Ridge, VDMC Chief Executive Officer.

Wally Ubben, a nurse at Van Diest Medical Center was presented the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses Tuesday morning at the hospital board room. He was one of 18 nominees this year for the annual award.

The award coincided with the the beginning National Nurses Week, May 6 through 12.

The Daisy Foundation was created in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by his family. The Daisy Award was established to honor and thank nurses all around the world for their skillful and compassionate care.

Nurses can be nominated by anyone in the organization — patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians and staff — anyone who experiences or observes extraordinary compassionate care being provided by a nurse. Van Diest Medical Center has nomination forms available on its website, www.vandiestmc.org.

The 18 nominations were reviewed, with identifying information about the nurses removed, by a selection committee of clinical and non-clinical leaders from throughout VDMC.

— Daily Freeman-Journal photo by Anne Blankenship
Eighteen Van Diest Medical Center nurses were nominated for the 2019 Daisy Award. They were honored Tuesday. Nominees were Alison Keane, Ashley Burtnett, Brittany Sadler, Cindy Christensen, Dawn Eimers, Deb Thielen, Diana Patterson, Emily Maines, Helen Goater, Holly Bulver, LeAnn Timm, Megan Martin, Robin Meyer, Sam Landreth, Shawn Tulp, Tami Swanson, Tracey Henderson and Wally Ubben.

“We’re here to celebrate some of our everyday heros,” said Lisa Ridge, VDMC Chief Executive Officer. “Nurses do so many things during their shifts — they educate, they hope, they inspire and they advocate for their patients.

“So often, nurses go beyond what is expected of them. They work to ensure each interaction results in a positive patient experience,” she said.

Each nominee was introduced by Chief Nursing Officer Amy McDonough. She read a brief biography about each nominee.

Ubben is a medical surgical nurse who McDonough said, “demonstrates excellence by going above and beyond to makes his patients comfortable.”

His nominations cited his “sincere concern and compassion,” his positive attitude and empathy for his patients.

“He is absolutely wonderful. What can I say, he is qualified for this honor. He is the best,” one of his nominators noted.

Ubben thanked the patients who nominated him and the selection committee for his award.

“I cannot thank the committee enough. I cannot thank you enough,” he said pointing to his coworkers. “I cannot thank the patients who wrote these nomination enough,” Ubben said.

“In the spirit of giving, I need to give this to Susie Long,” he said.

Other nominees from VDMC were Alison Keane, Ashley Burtnett, Brittany Sadler, Cindy Christensen, Dawn Eimers, Deb Thielen, Diana Patterson, Emily Maines, Helen Goater, Holly Bulver, LeAnn Timm, Megan Martin, Robin Meyer, Sam Landreth, Shawn Tulp, Tami Swanson and Tracey Henderson.

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