Extraordinary Nurses Recognized at Tehachapi Hospital

Nurses at Tehachapi Hospital were honored with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses during a special ceremony kicking off Nurses’ Week on May 6. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

The first award recipient was Patricia Tye. Patricia is a compassionate LVN currently working towards her RN license. She has been an employee of Tehachapi Hospital for 5 years, working with the Swing Bed patients. Patricia genuinely cares for her patients. She is kind and trustworthy. She goes above and beyond, expressing attentiveness, respect, and patience when caring for her patients. Her quiet demeanor brings calmness to the unit. She is an incredible team player and a pleasure to work with. Patricia also mentors new employees on the unit. She is a true blessing to the organization.

The second award recipient was George Roberts. George is a dedicated RN who works the night shift in the Emergency Room as the charge nurse. His coworkers, as well as his patients, describe him as lighthearted, compassionate, friendly, and helpful. When the Emergency Dept.’s quality feedback was tabulated, George had received the highest number of positive comments from patients in the ER over the last year, getting at least one comment every week that he was on duty! George also has incredible clinical skills and he loves to work with other nurses to expand their knowledge. He brings a smile and light into every room, giving comfort to those who are hurting. George’s personality is larger than life and staff can count on a big bear hug from him to brighten their day! We have a healthier happier community because of George.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, California, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. 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. 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 patients and their patient families.

Both honorees received a certificate that reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people”. They also received a beautiful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.

Bonnie Barnes, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation wrote, “Nurses don’t see in themselves, or in each other, how their care profoundly affects their patients and families. When we described the impact of a nurse, the reaction was typical, ‘I didn’t do anything special. I was just doing my job.’” The DAISY award celebrates the extraordinary work that nurses do every day.

Said Chief Nursing Officer Juliana Kirby, “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.”