UP Health System – Portage OB Nurse Britney Daavettila, RN, Honored with DAISY Award

UP Health System – Portage is proud to honor Britney 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. 

Britney has been a registered nurse for eight years, spending the past five and a half at UPHS – Portage. She relocated from downstate Michigan to join the Family Birthing Center (FBC), where she began on night shifts before transitioning to days. Britney is a wonderful coworker and a friend to many. Nurses and providers play a vital role in the family birthing center, offering compassionate care, clinical expertise, and unwavering support to ensure the safety and well-being of both mothers and newborns throughout the birthing journey. Britney was nominated by a patient who received care from her — the full nomination is below.

"Britney was my wife’s favorite ever nurse even before the delivery took an unexpected turn. She’s personable like a sister and professional like a mechanic for humans. When a normal delivery turned into a c-section after a day of labor she managed to turn off the spigot of tears and laugh with my wife while facing her biggest non-insect related fear, the scalpel. When the operating room turned chaotic as the patient vomited at the same time the med student stitching lost consciousness she put on her game face like a marine handling a baby, limp body, blood-n-guts and a wide-eyed patient’s husband masterfully. That wide eyed husband is me and her behavior handling both the routine and extra extraordinary was masterful. After the delivery like a concerned sister than a nurse try to make it through a shift, too bad there is only one of her and thank God she works where my baby was delivered."

Britney Daavettila, RN, with director of the family birthing center, Tina Huhta, and chief nursing officer, Casey Baird. 

UP Health System – Portage also recognizes our other nurses who were nominated for the DAISY Award this quarter:

• Madelyn Ball (Family Birthing)
• Jill Daavettila(M/S-ICU)
• Gretchen Haapala(OB)
• Kayla Williamson(ED)
• Ashley Lehtola(ICU)
• Myra Nordstrom(ACU)
• Karla Bastian(ACU)
• Lindsey Bukovich(Family Birthing)
• Karley Johsnon (ED)
• Jesse Salo (Oncology)
• Lynnette Huller, CRN (Team Health)
• Katie Isaacson (OR)
• Catie Kangas (OR)
• Alicia Dessellier (ACU)
• Holly Stromer (ACU)

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 auto-immune 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 super-human, 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.