McLaren Greater Lansing nurse Sarah Therrien 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: “I had some great nurses during my time in the hospital recently, but Sarah stood out in more ways than one. She talked to me about timelines, verified people were on the same page, and she took the time to make sure my plan of care was fulfilled, even when she was pulled for other patients. I cannot think of a more deserving candidate in my time on the medical surgical unit. I have had to be here almost a week, and after a night of my previous nurse being slammed with admits and too busy to really check on me, Sarah made all the difference in the morning during shift change, the busiest part of the day. She was busy; she had a heck of a day herself, but she did not let that affect me receiving my care.”
The nominator went on to say, “She works days, she works nights, she is knowledgeable, helpful, and patient, and I have had the pleasure of her being my nurse more than one of her shifts this week.”
Therrien was recognized by hospital leadership and coworkers as she received a certificate commending him for being an “Extraordinary Nurse” and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona people in Zimbabwe.
Therrien has worked at McLaren for six years. Therrien’s career is the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition to enter the medical field and make a meaningful impact on the lives of others.
“Though I originally set out to become a doctor, I soon discovered that the nursing field offered the level of direct patient engagement I was looking for,” said Therrien. “The hands-on experience and care that nurses provide were exactly what I wanted for my career.”
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 by 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.”