Josie Robinson, RN, CEN, honored with inaugural DAISY Award

Celebrating here with nursing leaders and colleagues, Josie Robinson, RN, CEN, is the recipient of Christiana Care's first DAISY Award.

November 10, 2014

When Emergency Department nurse Josie Robinson, RN, CEN, arrived for her shift at Christiana Hospital on the morning of Oct. 21, she had no idea of the wonderful surprise that awaited her. Nursing leaders and colleagues met Robinson at the nurses’ station to present Christiana Care Health System’s first DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

Christiana Care’s Professional Nurse Council launched The DAISY Award at Christiana Care in August. The DAISY Award recognizes patient- and family-centered care, said Diane Talarek, MA, RN, NE-BC, senior vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer at Christiana Care, in announcing the award. “Nurses are at the bedside, in the exam room and in patient homes day in and day out providing care,” Talarek said. “The DAISY Award provides the perfect forum to recognize and celebrate the positive impact our nurses have on the lives of others.”

Diane Talarek, MA, RN, NE-BC, senior vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer, and Janet Cunningham, RN, MHA, NEA-BC, CENP, associate chief nursing officer and vice president of Professional Excellence, present Josie Robinson, RN, CEN, with The DAISY Award.

“I cannot think of anyone more worthy of receiving the first DAISY Award at Christiana Care than Josie,” said Karen Toulson, MSN, MBA, RN, CEN, NE-BC, director of Clinical Operations for the Emergency Department and Observation Unit at Christiana Hospital. “Josie is incredibly knowledgeable and is a clinical leader in trauma. Many of her peers look to her for guidance, and she’s always approachable, accessible and ready to help. When it comes to our patients, Josie is a tremendous advocate. We are very lucky she chose to work at Christiana Care.”

Nominating Robinson was Kathy Capozzoli, the mother of a young patient Robinson treated in the Emergency Department. When she brought her son to the ED at Christiana Hospital in August, she “was sure he was going to die,” Capozzoli said. He had been treated unsuccessfully for pneumonia at another hospital and also suffered from Sturge-Weber syndrome, a rare congenital neurological and skin disorder that includes physical disfigurement.

Josie Robinson, RN, CEN, was nominated for The DAISY Award by Kathy Capozzoli, here with her son who was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and who suffers from Sturge-Weber syndrome. At a time when Capozzoli feared for her son's life, Robinson provided care and support that helped her through the ordeal. — Josie Robinson, RN, CEN, was nominated for The DAISY Award by Kathy Capozzoli, here with her son who was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and who suffers from Sturge-Weber syndrome. At a time when Capozzoli feared for her son’s life, Robinson provided care and support that helped her through the ordeal.

In her nomination, Capozzoli wrote, “When we came into the ED, I was alone and very afraid. Josie was our nurse and for the first time, a health care worker looked past his appearance and treated him professionally and with compassion.”

Kathy’s son faced a long road. “I was alone, scared and devastated,” said Capozzoli. “People kept asking me if they could call someone and I told them I have no one. Immediately, my thoughts went to Josie as her visits had become daily. They called her from the ED to come and support me through the most difficult time of my life. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

Highlighting the impact that nurses like Robinson have daily in patients’ lives is the heart of The DAISY Award, said Allison Steuber, MSN, RN III, CEN, who chairs the Professional Nurse Council. “With DAISY, we can honor outstanding nurses throughout the year.”

The family of J. Patrick Barnes created DAISY — an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System — in 1999 to honor his memory with a tribute to the skillful and compassionate care he received from his nurses during his hospitalization. The family established The DAISY Award as a way to say thank you to nurses everywhere. Today, more than 1,700 health care facilities in every state and 11 countries honor nurses with The DAISY Award.

The Professional Nurse Council will present The DAISY Award to an extraordinary nurse each month based on nominations from patients, families and Christiana Care colleagues. All nurses — inpatient, outpatient and Visiting Nurse Association — are eligible.

Anyone who has experienced care at Christiana Care is invited to nominate an extraordinary nurse for The DAISY Award online.