Lauren Hayes Honored With DAISY Award

Lauren Hayes, MSN, RN-BC, of ChristianaCare’s Surgical Critical Care Complex (SCCC), received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses for October 2021. Hayes joined ChristianaCare in 2002 as a unit clerk and served as a patient care technician while working on her nursing degree.

She said joining the SCCC in 2016 was the best decision she ever made. She is a member of the unit-based Skin Team, a charge nurse, and works side-by-side with a senior nursing colleague to support her growth and development.

Hayes supported a patient who was critically injured in a car accident, and provided comfort to the patient’s family. The patient’s granddaughter nominated Hayes for a DAISY Award for her extraordinary care.

“After it became known that my grandmother would never come home off life support, we made the decision to take her off and allow her to pass,” the nomination read.

“Lauren not only went above and beyond in the care she provided, she was was a true support to our family during our sessions of crying and venting.”

Hayes stayed with her patient during last rites with a priest before the family arrived. She provided the family with printouts of their loved one’s heartbeat. She checked on the family often “without being overbearing,” the granddaughter wrote. When the family left, Hayes made sure they took home their loved one’s candle, prayer card and comfort blanket.

“We really could not have asked for anyone better to be with us through this difficult time,” the nomination read. “I hope Lauren knows how amazing she was and how much comfort she provided.”

The Professional Nurse Council at ChristianaCare selects DAISY Award recipients using an anonymous process based on nominations from patients, families and all members of the ChristianaCare team. All nurses — inpatient, outpatient and ChristianaCare HomeHealth — are eligible.