Susan Brissette is the May DAISY Award Winner!

A program to recognize the care and compassion of extraordinary nurses continues at UHS with Susan Brissette. LPN, UHS Primary Care Norwich, being named the May winner of the DAISY Award! Susan was recognized and presented with the award for the achievement, and enjoyed cinnamon rolls, a symbolic treat in honor of Patrick Barnes, whose experience inspired the award.

The UHS Primary Care nurse was nominated by Chris Steiber, a patient's son. In his nomination letter, Chris spoke about his 93-year-old mother taking a turn for the worse and needing hospice care. After the first hospice referral was not received, Chris connected with Susan. They were heading into a long holiday weekend and did not want to delay his mother's admittance to hospice. Susan, after speaking with Chris, did a follow-up and confirmed the first referral being sent, and then to be safe, requested a second send of the referral. That action, according to Chris, allowed for his mother to be put under hospice care on Friday, instead of what he thought would likely have been the following Tuesday. This allowed Chris' mother to receive the medications needed to allow her rest and eventually pass in peace at her home. 

"I can not imagine the suffering she would have undergone without this action. This is by far not the first time Susan has helped myself, or a family member, either in the Sherburne or Norwich locations. Each time she has made the difference, but this time, she changed the world for my mother and family." said Chris, "It is unfortunate I have never taken the time to say thank you, but this time, I need to do this, as my mother would say thank you if she could. Susan has that compassion that made the ultimate difference in a patient's, and patient family's life, that I will never forget."

The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Award is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide every day. The DAISY Foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes after the Seattle man died from complications of the auto-immune disease ITP in 1999. During his hospitalization, the family members deeply appreciated the care and compassion shown to Patrick and his loved ones. When he died, they felt compelled to say thank you to nurses in a very public way. To learn more, visit DAISYFoundation.org. 

Started at UHS in April 2021, nurses are nominated by anyone in the organization - patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians and staff - anyone who experiences or observes extraordinary care being provided by a nurse.

Nominations are submitted by using a form found on NYUHS.org. On this form, the person will be able to tell the story of why they are nominating the nurse, while also choosing which UHS Value (Compassion, Trust, Respect, Teamwork, Innovation) the nurse displayed.

If you have any questions, please contact Toni Nash at (607) 763-6896 or send an email to daisy@nyuhs.org.