DAISY Award Given and Nurses Honored at TCMH

Texas County Memorial Hospital honored Cameron Brown of Houston with a DAISY Award during a cinnamon roll breakfast ceremony held for all the DAISY Award nominees on Tuesday, January 4.

Brown is a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at Home Health of the Ozarks. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award is the highest recognition award for an RN and licensed practical nurse (LPN) at TCMH.

The DAISY Award is part of the non-profit DAISY Foundation of Glen Ellen, CA. The Foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes.  Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease.

The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while Patrick was ill and hospitalized inspired the DAISY Award as a way of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. The DAISY Award recipient must be nominated for a specific act of extraordinary care that was experienced by the person making the nomination.

“We are very proud to partner with Daisy to deliver this award as we have many extraordinary nurses at TCMH,” Angela Cox, TCMH RN and Daisy coordinator, said.

Brown received the DAISY Award from a nomination she received from one of her patient’s family, which they submitted in recognition of the care and compassion Brown extended to their mother.

In the nomination, the family explained how Brown always entered their home with a positive attitude, happiness and cheerfulness in which their mother needed and looked forward to.  They described Cameron as open and personal, but also very knowledgeable and professional. The family said she was responsible and dependable in making sure they had all they needed for their mom’s care.

Overall, the family said Cameron was more than their mother’s hospice nurse, she became a friend who helped their family through a very difficult time.

“Cameron is an excellent nurse, and we are fortunate to have her at TCMH Hospice of Care,” Courtney Owens, TCMH nursing administration, said. “She is very deserving of this award.”

Brown received a special DAISY Award pin; a recognition certificate, a bouquet of fresh flowers, and a hand-carved stone sculpture by artists in Zimbabwe called “A Healer’s Touch.”  Cinnamon rolls were served at the breakfast because Cinnabon cinnamon rolls were a personal favorite food of Patrick Barnes during his hospitalization, and he always shared the cinnamon rolls with his nursing staff.

Jennifer Terrill, RN, Obstetrics; April Crites, RN, Home Health; Mary Kate Brasier, RN, Obstetrics; Kristen Ellison, RN, Obstetrics also received special recognition and a DAISY pin for being nominated for DAISY Awards at TCMH.

TCMH currently employs 105 nurses. The nurses work in many departments of the hospital—medical surgical, obstetrics, emergency room, surgery, intensive care, home health, hospice, and clinics.

Cameron Brown, 2021 Fall Daisy Award Winner