Blair Moore, a registered nurse (RN) at Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) was recently honored with The DAISY Team Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

Moore works in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Tift Regional Medical Center and has worked for Southwell for more than two and a half years. She was nominated for the award by the spouse of someone she cared for in the ICU in the spring of 2022.

The nomination form described Moore as “wonderful, kindhearted, and compassionate” and said that Moore and the rest of the ICU team at TRMC treated them “like family and not just a number.”

“Blair is a positive asset to the ICU,” said Michael Thompson, ICU Manager. “She really cares for her patients and has a great bedside manner that shows patients and families how much she cares. I am so proud to have Blair on our team.”

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon 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.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Tift Regional Medical Center are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses has been adopted by healthcare facilities around the world to celebrate nurses for their extraordinary care and compassion. The DAISY Team Award is for nurse-led teams of two or more who come together to solve a specific situation by going above and beyond. Nursing teams may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues, and they are chosen by a committee of nurses at Tift Regional Medical Center to receive The DAISY Team Award. The DAISY Team Award is presented once each year at a surprise presentation. Each member of the Nursing Team receives a certificate commending them for being an "Extraordinary Nurse." The certificate reads: "In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are and the incredibly meaningful difference your teamwork makes in the lives of so many people." The Team also receives a specially engraved plaque engraved with the name of the Team.

“We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in the DAISY Award program,” said Tonia Garrett, Chief Nursing Officer for Southwell. “Nurses like Blair go above and beyond for their patients, and we are grateful to the DAISY program for recognizing that.”

The DAISY Award and DAISY Team Award are initiatives of The DAISY Foundation in service to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.