Lara Davis, Labor and Delivery Nurse, became the first recipient of The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses at South Georgia Medical Center on Wednesday. The award is part of the international DAISY Foundation, a program developed to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform everyday.
 
SGMC implemented the program last month, asking patients and fellow employees to honor nurses they felt went above and beyond in their care. A committee comprised of various employees throughout the organization reviewed more than 20 nominations based on criteria that included compassion, teamwork, leadership, attitude, and skills and knowledge.

Davis received a raving nomination by a former patient who delivered twins at just 21 weeks who shared her experience stating, “Lara laughed with us, cried with us and just loved us!”

Awards will continue to be given monthly at presentations in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors.  Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her or him for being an "Extraordinary Nurse” and a beautiful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

Said Chief Nursing Officer Tami Jackson, “We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in the DAISY Award program.  Nurses are heroes every day.  It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that.”