South Georgia Medical Center honored a care team with the November DAISY award for extraordinary nursing care. 

Registered nurses Will Copeland, Amber Cowart, Tammy Jones, and Abi Tillman, Nurse Practitioner Tana Macera, and pulmonologist Dr. Apurva Panwala were recognized for their compassionate care at the end of a patient's life. 

The team was nominated by the family of the late Susan Radford, who spent the final month of her life at SGMC. 

According to the nomination, Radford's caregivers went above and beyond to make sure her needs and wishes were met in her final days. When Radford shared that her great nephew was marching in the Valdosta High School homecoming parade, her nurses went to great lengths to move her to a spot where she could watch. The care team rolled her bed and ICU equipment into the hallway to the window for the perfect viewing angle above the parade route. 

The following day, the staff ensured she was not alone and could be surrounded by her loved ones. This included bringing in her six "grands" to share Dixie Cream doughnuts with her and see her one last time.  

"They did as much as they could to make her final days the best they could be," shared her family.  

Radford passed peacefully two days later with her family by her side.  

SGMC continues to ask patients and fellow employees to honor nurses they feel go above and beyond in their actions and care. Nominations are reviewed by a committee based on criteria that include compassion, teamwork, leadership, attitude, and skills and knowledge. 

DAISY awards are presented monthly 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.” They also receive a beautiful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.   

To nominate a nurse for the DAISY award, visit sgmc.org.