Author: Gabi Hoover

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY and BEE Award recipients for September 2022. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recognizes exemplary nursing staff, and the BEE Award honors other outstanding staff members who support patient care, both at the hospital and all outpatient clinics.

Stacey Hunter, a Registered Nurse in Oncology at the Walker Center for Cancer Care, received the DAISY Award. Rodney Dobson, Nursing Assistant in Progressive Care at Samaritan Medical Center, received the BEE Award.

Kim Smith, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing Critical Care, Samaritan Medical Center, nominated Hunter saying:

“A patient who has been fighting cancer was admitted to the Medical Center. Following the Oncologist’s orders to begin chemotherapy, Stacey put the patient’s needs first and found a way to administer the needed therapy in the patient’s Medical Center room, rather than transporting the patient back and forth to the Walker Center for Cancer Care. Inpatient chemotherapy is something that is not done often. Stacey was in charge in this instance and worked with a team of registered nurses to ensure the receipt of chemotherapy while the patient’s other medical needs were being met.” 

For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – Hunter was presented a certificate commending her as an extraordinary nurse, a DAISY Award pin, and a symbolic sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which is hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. A larger version of this sculpture has also been installed in the Healing Gardens at Samaritan Medical Center in honor of all DAISY and BEE Award winners to come. It was purchased using funds donated by the Samaritan Auxiliary.

Shannon Phillips, BSN, RN, Nurse Manager Intensive and Progressive Care Units, Samaritan Medical Center nominated Dobson.

“Rodney truly embodies our HEART (Honest, Empathetic, Accountable, Respectful, Trustworthy) values and this is evident in the care he gives to our patients. When Rodney is working, you will hear him in patient rooms talking with patients, explaining the care he is providing, asking if there is “anything else I can do for you” and doing his best to make them feel welcomed and cared for.”

Dobson was presented with a certificate, a BEE Award pin, and a gift bag with other tokens of gratitude.

Both awards will continue to be presented throughout the year, and nominations can be submitted by patients, families, or colleagues at any time. To make a nomination or to learn more about the Samaritan DAISY and BEE Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.

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About Samaritan Medical Center

Samaritan Medical Center (Watertown, New York) is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, such as cancer treatment, neonatal intensive care, behavioral health and addiction services, and imaging services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of our civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are the basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

About The DAISY Foundation

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 their patients and patient families.    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, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://www.DAISYfoundation.org.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY and BEE Award recipients for August 2022. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recognizes exemplary nursing staff, and the BEE Award honors other outstanding staff members who support patient care, both at the hospital and all outpatient clinics.

Christopher Phinney, a Registered Nurse at Samaritan Medical Center, Operating Room, received the DAISY Award. Susan Hodge, Lead Clinic Office Support at Samaritan Pulmonology, received the BEE Award. An impressed co-worker, Kyle Aumell, Technical Services Manager, nominated Phinney. Hodge was nominated by Dr. Rory Sears, Pulmonologist. A committee then selected them.

Phinney was nominated for dedication to patients. Aumell described Phinney saying:

“I have had the pleasure of working with Chris for many years now and have always been impressed with his dedication to the patient – we have implemented systems at his suggestion to improve communication both within the operating room staff and with patients’ families,” said Aumell. “I’ve now had two occasions to witness his level of passion and care with patients and their families on a personal level. Nurses like Chris make me proud to work at Samaritan and support his mission.” 

For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – Phinney was presented a certificate commending her as an extraordinary nurse, a DAISY Award pin, and a symbolic sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which is hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. A larger version of this sculpture has also been installed in the Healing Gardens at Samaritan Medical Center in honor of all DAISY and BEE Award winners to come. It was purchased using funds donated by the Samaritan Auxiliary.

Hodge was nominated by Dr. Rory Sears of Samaritan Pulmonology for going the extra mile for patients.

“Susan has been an important part of our team for years.  She makes sure our patients are taken care of, and she does so with a very pleasant demeanor.  Our patients are so happy to hear from her when she calls to schedule as they love her happy and caring voice,” said Dr. Sears. “She goes above and beyond to make sure we fit in urgent sick calls in a timely fashion.  Without her we could not provide the services we do to our patients.  Whether our patients are having trouble breathing or have lung cancer she is there to help get things done.  She is the first person that people see when they come in for an appointment.  To see her smiling face as our patient’s enter, it lets our patients know we are happy to see them and we care.  She sets the tone for the entire encounter.  She is a star.”

Hodge was presented with a certificate, a BEE Award pin, and a gift bag with other tokens of gratitude.

Both awards will continue to be presented throughout the year, and nominations can be submitted by patients, families, or colleagues at any time. To make a nomination or to learn more about the Samaritan DAISY and BEE Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.

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About Samaritan Medical Center

Samaritan Medical Center (Watertown, New York) is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, such as cancer treatment, neonatal intensive care, behavioral health and addiction services, and imaging services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of our civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are the basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

About The DAISY Foundation

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 their patients and patient families.    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, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://www.DAISYfoundation.org.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY and BEE Award recipients for July 2022. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recognizes exemplary nursing staff, and the BEE Award honors other outstanding staff members who support patient care, both at the hospital and all outpatient clinics.

Terri McNitt, a Registered Nurse at Samaritan Medical Center, received the DAISY Award. Patti Finnegan and Tammy Knapp, both Compensation Assistants, received the BEE Award. A grateful patient nominated McNitt. Finnegan and Knapp were nominated by Kim Smith, RN, Director of Nursing – Critical Care. A committee then selected them. McNitt was nominated for supporting the patient, Maria Rice, on three different occasions through labor and delivery. The patient described McNitt saying:

“She made my birthing experiences magical every time.” Rice added, “On Sept. 26, 2020 I gave birth to a beautiful stillborn baby girl (she had Turner syndrome) and from the start of my day, up until discharge, my team, led by Teri was exceptional. That day was easily one of the worst days of my life and she made sure I had absolutely everything possible to get me through it. I will never be able to repay her for what she has done for me on all 3 stays (December 25, 2018, September 26, 2020, June 3, 2022) but I believe in giving recognition and praise where it is due, and she absolutely deserves it. All of the staff on L&D and Maternity are exceptional and I would never go elsewhere”.

For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – McNitt was presented a certificate commending her as an extraordinary nurse, a DAISY Award pin, and a symbolic sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which is hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. A larger version of this sculpture has also been installed in the Healing Gardens at Samaritan Medical Center in honor of all DAISY and BEE Award winners to come. It was purchased using funds donated by the Samaritan Auxiliary.

Finnegan and Knapp were nominated for the BEE Award by Kim Smith, RN, Director of Nursing – Critical Care, for collaboratively ensuring employee flow and information maintenance.

“I cannot nominate one without the other.  Tammy and Patti are behind the scenes for ensuring employee flow and information is maintained.  They both drop whatever they are doing to assist us as managers when we have a need for NOW.  They demonstrate professional communication skills with all levels of disciplines.  They never talk down to you or above you.  They are experts in what they do and serve as important resource for each and every one of us.”

Finnegan and Knapp were each presented with a certificate, a BEE Award pin, and a gift bag with other tokens of gratitude.

Both awards will continue to be presented throughout the year, and nominations can be submitted by patients, families, or colleagues at any time. To make a nomination or to learn more about the Samaritan DAISY and BEE Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.

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About Samaritan Medical Center

Samaritan Medical Center (Watertown, New York) is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, such as cancer treatment, neonatal intensive care, behavioral health and addiction services, and imaging services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of our civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are the basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

About The DAISY Foundation

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 their patients and patient families.    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, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://www.DAISYfoundation.org.

Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY and BEE Award recipients for May 2022. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recognizes exemplary nursing staff, and the BEE Award honors other outstanding staff members who support patient care, both at the hospital and all outpatient clinics.

Sheila Zeller, a Registered Nurse at Samaritan Medical Center, received the DAISY Award. Jordan Sawyer, Registered Respiratory Therapist at Samaritan Medical Center, received the BEE Award. Zeller was nominated by a fellow RN, and Sawyer by the parents of a pediatric patient. A committee then selected them.

Zeller was nominated for going the extra mile to ensure the wellbeing of a regular patient. The co-worker described Zeller saying:

“One of our patients was late for their scheduled appointment which created great concern for Sheila… Sheila said that she had that achy gut feeling that something was wrong.  Some may have just left this as a no-show, but not Sheila.  She made calls from the contact list we had… The contact person then went to the patient’s home and found the patient in dire need of immediate medical attention.”

For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – Zeller was presented a certificate commending her as an extraordinary nurse, a DAISY Award pin, and a symbolic sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” which is hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. A larger version of this sculpture has also been installed in the Healing Gardens at Samaritan Medical Center in honor of all DAISY and BEE Award winners to come. It was purchased using funds donated by the Samaritan Auxiliary.

Sawyer was nominated for the BEE Award by the Dandrow family for demonstrating high standards of care and compassion during a crisis.

“Our young daughter was admitted for labored breathing due to croup. The next morning she stopped breathing. Nurses called a code, performed CPR, and then intubated her. Jordan was one of many who responded to the code. Once intubated, he was constantly monitoring and adjusting the ventilator. Additionally, he constantly kept us apprised of the situation. He answered all our questions, reassured us, explained everything in detail, and became the friend we really needed. He helped keep our heads in a good space – considering the circumstances.”

Sawyer was presented with a certificate, a BEE Award pin, and a gift bag with other tokens of gratitude.

Both awards will continue to be presented throughout the year, and nominations can be submitted by patients, families, or colleagues at any time. To make a nomination or to learn more about the Samaritan DAISY and BEE Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.

About Samaritan Medical Center

Samaritan Medical Center (Watertown, New York) is a 290-bed not-for-profit community medical center, offering a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services. From primary and emergency care to highly specialized medical and surgical services, such as cancer treatment, neonatal intensive care, behavioral health and addiction services, and imaging services, Samaritan Medical Center and its team of healthcare professionals proudly serves the medical needs of our civilian and military community. Quality, compassion, and safety are the basic principles by which exceptional care is delivered at Samaritan.

About The DAISY Foundation

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 their patients and patient families.    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, Nursing Students, through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and for nurses participating in medical missions. More information is available at http://www.DAISYfoundation.org.