UP Health System – Portage Honors Jill Daavettila, RN, with the DAISY Award

UP Health System – Portage is proud to honor Jill Daavettila, RN, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day.

Jill is a registered nurse in the medical-surgical department. Known for her compassionate care and ability to connect with patients, Jill recently made an impact with a patient that was felt by her accompanying family members.

Here is an excerpt from the nomination:
"Jill took such great care of my grandma every day. She always stopped in to make sure she was comfortable. She would always make sure her pillows were fluffed, her feet were warm and she had her ginger ale. Jill even soaked my grandma’s feet one morning. It made her so happy; she mentioned it all day. Thank you, Jill, for taking such good care of my grandma and my family as well. We were so blessed to have you as her nurse."

UP Health System – Portage also extends recognition to all the extraordinary nurses nominated for the DAISY Award this quarter:

• Jordan Barber, RN MS
• Becky Kerry, RN MS
• Jayanne Kangas Heinonen, RN MS
• Janette Pietila, RN ACU
• Callie Aittama, RN FBC
• Taylor Olson, RN FBC
• Lisa Pietila, RN ED
• Amanda Niemi, RN ED

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick 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.

Patients, families and colleagues may nominate nurses. Nominations are reviewed by a committee at UP Health System – Portage, which then selects the winner. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the honoree’s colleagues, patients, friends and family.  Each honoree receives a certificate commending them that reads, “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe

Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, chief executive officer and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation, said, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for their superhuman, extraordinary, compassionate work. The kind of work the nurses at UP Health System – Portage are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of the DAISY Award.”

"One of our top priorities is making sure our nurses know how valued and appreciated they are for the incredible, lifesaving care they provide every day," stated Casey Baird, MBA, BSN, RN, CPPS, chief nursing officer, UP Health System – Portage. "The DAISY Award is one way we do that and we are proud to participate in the program, as we are proud of all our nursing staff.

In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 3,900 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of direct care nurses, nurse-led teams, nurse leaders, nursing faculty and nursing students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and nurses participating in medical missions.

To nominate an extraordinary nurse for the DAISY Award, visit our website. For more information on the DAISY Award, please visit the DAISY Foundation website