WILMINGTON – Samantha Wendel, RN, of Clinton Memorial Hospital, was recently honored with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s programs to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.
There were 17 CMH nurses nominated: Brittany Parcell, Sam Wendel, Tiffany Raver, Courtney Justice, Britny Achtermann, Brooke Rose, Shari Barber, Michele Tebo, Dawn Perez, Danielle Anthony, Sam Henson, Stacey Daniel, Debbie Persinger, Jill Reese, Mary Lou Baker, Ashly Johnson, and Rachael Perkins.
Sam was nominated for emulating the type of nurse all nurses strive to be; someone who pays attentions to the details and always makes time for the small touches. A valued member of her team, she exhibits a high level of drive and positively impacts her unit, including patients, families, staff, and physicians.
Patients comment that Sam checked on them often and anticipated their needs and was very attentive and caring.
She is also known for always taking that extra step- in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic she prioritized keeping her patients families informed, explaining to them what they should expect while at CMH, and ensuring they could video visit during a time when there were strict visitor restriction.
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Ca., 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 their patients and patient families.
Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, CEO and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, said, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do.
“The kind of work the nurses at CMH are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”
Chief Nursing Officer Elaine Storrs said, “Nurses are heroes every day. It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides another way for us to do that.”
