Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is pleased to announce its DAISY, BEE, and OWL Award recipients for June 2024. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® recognizes exemplary nursing staff, the BEE Award honors other outstanding staff members for being excellent every day, both at the hospital and outpatient clinics, and the OWL Award recognizes outstanding workers in long term care.
Cindy Keenan, Registered Nurse (RN), of the Car-Freshner Center for Women and Children’s NICU received the DAISY Award. Bobbi Bailey, LCSW-R, of Samaritan Outpatient Behavioral Health, received the BEE Award. Samaritan Summit Village Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Jennifer Bellis, and Samaritan Keep Home sixth and eighth floors unit clerk Dorry McIntosh won the OWL Award for their respective facilities.
High-risk OB patient and Samaritan nurse educator Kristen Hunter nominated Keenan for the DAISY Award citing her patient experience and saying:
“…During our stay Cindy cared for us as a family unit for five out of ten days. She helped get us through a very difficult time, while caring for our little miracle. Even though I work on the maternal child unit, it does not make it any easier seeing your baby hooked up to an IV, on CPAP and a cardiac monitor and not being able to hold her for the first-time following delivery. Cindy ensured to talk my husband and myself through her plan of care that first night and every shift following.”
For receiving the DAISY Award – which is an international award backed by The DAISY Foundation – Keenan was presented with 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.
Bailey was nominated for the BEE Award by a patient with the following statement for nomination:
“The first time I met Bobbi she made me feel welcomed. She is kind, and very, very, professional. She listens and never judges me. I have had some major setbacks in life and Bobbi has helped me to see the brighter side for sure.”
Bailey was presented with a certificate, a BEE Award pin, and a gift bag with other tokens of gratitude.
Bellis was nominated for the OWL Award by Summit Village skilled nursing administrator Madaline Toliver who recalled a specific incident in which Bellis recognized an issue with a resident on the Assisted Living side of the facility and took immediate action to assist the resident.
McIntosh was nominated for the OWL Award by multiple co-workers and the director of nursing at Samaritan Keep Home saying:
“Dorry McIntosh is a true caregiver and upholds Samaritan’s HEART values in so many ways. Just to reference a few of the HEART values: Honesty. Even when honesty is not the easiest to hear. Empathy. I have personally witnessed Dorry make relationships with the residents and their families. I have seen her hold the hand of a resident whose time is coming to an end, hug and cry with families after loss or at discharge from the facility back home. I have witnessed her collaborate birthday parties, baby showers and so much more for her co-workers. Trustworthy. It is a true character trait that does not go unnoticed.”
Bellis and McIntosh were presented with certificates and tokens of appreciation during recognition ceremonies at their respective facilities.
These 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, BEE, and OWL Awards, visit www.samaritanhealth.com/daisy-bee.
Pictured here, from left to right, are June 2024 caregiver awardees Cindy Keenan, RN, Bobbi Bailey, LCSW-R, Jennifer Bellis, CNA, and Dorry McIntosh, unit clerk.
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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.
