Author: Sarah Barber
"I would hope everyone that is in this unit gets to have Isabelle as their nurse. She was so kind and open-minded to all my needs."
McLaren Greater Lansing nurse Isabelle Beck was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the exceptional care nurses provide every day.
The nomination, submitted by a patient read as follows: “Isabelle made me feel so comfortable and kept my spirits up while I was sick. She was able to hold conversations that weren’t always about medication or what was wrong with me, which helped ease my anxiety so much. She kept me laughing, informed, and comfortable the entire time. She was so responsive and quick to show up if I needed her, and when doctors came in and explained something I didn’t understand, she would stay after they left and break it down for me so I wasn’t left in the dark.”
Beck joined McLaren this year and works on the patient floor 7 West. Her co-workers also speak highly of her and shared that she is an amazing nurse and co-worker.
The patient continued, “I would hope everyone that is in this unit gets to have Isabelle as their nurse. She was so kind and open-minded to all my needs. She almost felt like a super knowledgeable friend, which was so welcoming. Overall, she deserves this award. She took all the silly trips to get me Jell-O and popsicles, not to mention the tons of water I never stopped asking for, with a smile and laugh. She’s great. A great nurse, and a great person in general.”
Beck was recognized by hospital leadership and co-workers and received a certificate commending her for being an “Extraordinary Nurse,” as well as a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona people in Zimbabwe.
About the DAISY Award
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation, based in Glen Ellen, California, was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. The care Barnes 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 patients and their families.
“When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced firsthand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, president and co-founder of the DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the superhuman work they do. The kind of work the nurses at McLaren Greater Lansing are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of the DAISY Award.”