The Shadow
LOW MOOR – LewisGale Hospital Alleghany has awarded four of its nurses The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
Those recognized include Sam Ballou, B.S.N., R.N.; Ann Carter, R.N.; Ann Deisher, R.N.; and Shannon Johnston, R.N., C.E.N.
Each of the nurses was nominated by a colleague, physician, patient or visitor for their dedication to the job and sincere compassion for patients.
“This man saved my life,” wrote one patient on the nomination form for Sam Ballou, a clinical supervisor at the hospital. “He went above and beyond what his job was and made all the difference in my care. He is an extremely valuable asset to your hospital.”
“Ann took care of my mom and was very kind,” wrote the family member of another patient on the nomination form for Ann Deisher, a nurse on the Medical/Surgical Unit. “We were very pleased with the care and Ann made the visit special.”
Award-winner Shannon Johnston was nominated by her peers. She’s been working at LewisGale Hospital Alleghany for 10 years, most recently in the Emergency Department.
“I think this facility has been working really hard to go above and beyond to recognize the hard work of its employees,” she said.
Every quarter LewisGale Hospital Alleghany picks a new nurse to recognize with the award. These four nurses represent the winners over the past year.
“It meant a great deal to me to receive this honor,” said Ann Carter, a nurse in the ICU/PCU Unit. “Being recognized for my compassion is the best compliment I think a nurse can get.”
“We are proud to have these nurses as part of our healthcare team,” said Greg Madsen, CEO, LewisGale Hospital Alleghany. “It’s important our nurses know that they are valued and we appreciate all they do to ensure we continue to provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients.”
The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses was established by the Daisy Foundation, a not-for-profit, based in Glen Ellen, Calif.
The foundation was started by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura, a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease.
The care Patrick and his family received from nurses inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patients’ families.
LewisGale Hospital Alleghany is part of LewisGale Regional Health System which includes four hospitals, two regional cancer centers, six outpatient centers and affiliations with nearly 700 physicians, including 135 employed providers and 550 independent physicians.
With more than 3,300 employees, its annual payroll is $219.5 million. The system also paid $28.4 million in taxes and provided more than $73.5 million in uncompensated care to those most in need in 2009 alone.
LewisGale is also part of HCA Virginia, the largest and most comprehensive healthcare provider in the Commonwealth with more than 13,000 employees.
For more information see www.lewisgale.com.
