Stephanie Troyan, BSN, RN, VA-BC, of Christiana Hospital’s 3E Medical Intensive Care Unit, received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses for June 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. The nomination came from a grateful mother, who describes how Stephanie cared for her son during his final days.
Stephanie treated her son as if he was awake and aware. She talked to him. She made sure he was rotated and kept clean and dry. Before a special visit, she shampooed and combed his hair, telling him “we have to get you all nice and handsome.”
Stephanie also shepherded the family through preparation for organ donation, which included assisting with the Gift of Life Donor Program. They took comfort when she stayed with him throughout and after the surgery, many hours after her shift was over. When the family requested a favorite song to be played for their son during the surgery, Stephanie shared that their request was honored and accompanied by a prayer.
The nomination said, “Stephanie is an unbelievable nurse who comes in every day and cares for her patients as if they were her own family. She may be a tiny young woman, but she has a huge heart.
“Stephanie, thank you for being you. You will always hold a special place in my heart and never be forgotten.”
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.