Stephanie Neifert, RN, of the Emergency Medicine Department at Wilmington Hospital, received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses for March 2018.

Christiana Care DAISY Award recipients are nurses recognized for meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of patients and families by displaying exceptional clinical skills, compassion, respect and partnership. This DAISY nomination came with thanks from a mom for the extraordinary care Stephanie provided her daughter with Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes.

The nomination said, “Over the last 25 years, we’ve had many trips to various ERs for diabetic ketoacidosis. The experience can be frustrating when medical staff do not completely understand the different types of diabetes and the subtle variations of treatment required. A good nurse with knowledge of the disease can have a positive impact on the amount of time it takes a patient to recover. It can make a difference between hours in the ER vs. days in the hospital.

“We were truly blessed to have Stephanie as our nurse. She was knowledgeable and compassionate, and thoroughly understood the urgency of a low blood sugar and how to treat it. She understood the need to monitor blood glucose following a low and welcomed my participation.

“When questions about treatment arose, Stephanie was proactive in contacting the attending physician. She consistently and promptly communicated all new and pertinent information, such as doctor orders and test results, before I asked. Stephanie understands how difficult it can be to sit for hours in an ER cubicle wondering what is happening and why. We greatly appreciated her frequent checks and updates. No matter how busy she was, Stephanie consistently and cheerfully responded to all of our needs.

“While this trip to the ER was due to our daughter’s failure to care for her diabetes, Stephanie did not judge, but conveyed kind reassurance and encouragement. Because our daughter was treated with dignity, she left the hospital with a different outlook on herself and her diabetes. She now wears a continuous glucose monitor and has lowered her blood sugar level by more than half. She has changed her eating habits and has turned her life around. Stephanie helped her see beyond all the negatives of diabetes and see what is possible. Her positive influence and brief, kind interactions had more impact than she could possibly know.

“I wish to express our gratitude and appreciation to Stephanie Neifert for her exceptional care.”

Established in 1999, the family of J. Patrick Barnes created the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award to honor his memory with a tribute to the skillful and compassionate care he received from his nurses during his hospitalization. Today, more than 2,500 health care facilities in every state and 15 countries honor nurses with the DAISY Award.

The Professional Nurse Council at Christiana Care selects DAISY Award recipients using a blind selection process based on nominations from patients, families and all members of the Christiana Care team. All nurses — inpatient, outpatient and VNA — are eligible.

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