Awards, Spectrum Health West Michigan, Gerber Memorial Hospital

Gerber Memorial nurse recognized with DAISY award for sharing a lot of heart with patient in pain

February 25, 2022

FREMONT, Mich., Feb. 22, 2022 – For one patient, Amy Smith, RN, shared a lot of heart, figuratively and literally during the patient’s visit to Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial – and that was the kind of care that led to the patient nominating Smith for the DAISY Award recognizing exceptional nursing care.

The patient had visited Gerber Memorial’s emergency department for a serious injury, and experienced excruciating pain.

“The first thing she did was assure me she was going to stay with me through my whole time in the ER,” the patient wrote in nominating Smith for the award. “Next, she went out of her way to find me a stress ball shaped like a heart, which might seem like a small gesture, but with how much pain I was in… this small gift made a huge difference for me.”

Smith explained the patient’s care and made sure the patient understood the how and the why of each step. The patient wrote that Smith answered questions “graciously and with honesty.”

Smith advocated for the patient several times and the patient said her method for improving overall comfort, by using certain equipment and techniques, was so effective that other team members at the emergency department stopped to learn from an impromptu show-and-tell.

“Amy is a rock star,” the patient wrote, adding that while the injury was horrible, “my time at the Spectrum ER was top notch, thanks to Amy.”

“I’m privileged and blessed that I can care for our patients and the families in our community, and making sure they feel personalized, individual care is something we strive every day, on every shift, at Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial,” Smith said. “We really work as a team and I am so grateful to serve alongside so many outstanding health professionals on behalf of our patients and their families.”

 

Smith has been a nurse in the emergency department since she started at Gerber Memorial in 2015.

As a DAISY Award honoree, Smith received a certificate commending her for being an “Extraordinary Nurse.”  The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” DAISY Award honorees also receive a beautiful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved from serpentine stone by artists of the Shona tribe in southern Africa.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues, and they are chosen by a committee of nurses at Gerber Memorial to receive the award.

Smith also nominated Syrena May-Crisman, Gerber Memorial emergency department nurse technician, for the BEE Award, which recognizes any staff member who supports patient care. Smith nominated May-Crisman, writing: “Syrena consistently goes above and beyond for patients and staff. As a charge nurse, I very frequently ask Syrena to stay late to help meet the needs of the unit, and despite her demanding nursing school schedule, she makes the department’s needs her priority. Syrena always comes to work with a great attitude, and she honestly makes my job smoother as a result of being on shift. I appreciate her professionalism, continuous enthusiasm for learning, and her commitment to being excellent at her job.”

Smith stayed well past the end of her shift in the emergency department to get the details right.

 

Part of a national program, the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

Nomination forms are available at nursing stations throughout the hospital and patients can submit those forms either by placing them in gray boxes near those forms or by handing them to a nurse or other hospital staff. Nominating forms will also be available at the hospital’s main lobby, as well as included in admission packets.

For more information about The DAISY Award and the Foundation’s other recognition of nurses, faculty and students, visit www.DAISYfoundation.org.

Nomination forms can be found at any Spectrum Health facility or submitted online at: https://www.onlineregistrationcenter.com/GerberDAISY

People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 60,000+ dedicated people—including more than 11,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,000 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.

Contact:
Azlan Ibrahim
Communications Manager
Office: 231.924.1264
Mobile: 616.227-1940
Email: azlan.ibrahim@spectrumhealth.org