Lori Harrah, RN, is the newest recipient of the DAISY Award at Greene County Medical Center. The award presentation was Wednesday morning and coincided with National Nurses’ Week.
Becky Wolf, public health director and a member of the DAISY committee, was emcee.
The nominations of all seven nominees were read.
Harrah was nominated by Sandy Atkinson, director of quality management and patient experience at the medical center. Harrah was recently promoted to director of nursing in the long term care unit at the medical center. “Lori is passionate about the elderly population, and particularly this group, because that’s where she got her start,” Atkinson wrote. “When Lori started in long term care, she was met with several challenges. She was able to collaborate with residents, families, and staff to overcome and develop a resident-centered approach to these challenges.
“The culture in long term care is one of caring and compassion. Lori’s leadership role in long term care has allowed her to work outside the box, as well as outside her comfort zone, to ensure residents are the top priority.
“Lori is just as attentive to staff, with a proactive approach to problem-solving… Lori’s open door approach and her willingness to be involved in day-to-day activities with a patient-centered focus has been noted by many of her co-workers and administration.”
Harrah received a certificate and a “Healer’s Touch” sculpture hand-carved by artists of the Shona tribe in Africa.
Nominees for the third DAISY Award were (pictured, from left) Janelle Cates of acute care, Desiree Monaghan of quality management, Heather Wilson of Advanced Women’s Care, Harrah, and Brenda Luther and Heather Shipley of surgery. They were all presented with daisies. Vannatta was not at the ceremony due to her night schedule in long term care.
Judy Sankot, a retired nurse and member of the medical center’s board of trustees, thanked all the nurses. “We’re very proud and grateful for all of you. Without you, we would not be here. That not only goes to the nurses, but to all the departments. Everyone has to work together. Because of you, we are the success we are, and we hope to continue that,” Sankot said.
Medical center CEO Carl Behne also spoke briefly, thanking the nurses for the “serving our patients each every day with their best interest in mind.”
Previous award recipients are Laine Custer and Jenny Taylor.
The DAISY Award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the “superhuman efforts nurses perform every day.” That foundation was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications an 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.
Harrah’s daughter Kayleigh, a 2015 Greene County High School graduate, started last month as a CNA at Greene County Medical Center. Pictured with them are Atkinson (left) and Lori’s husband Tony.
