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Texas County Memorial Hospital honored Mary Beth Casper of Plato with a DAISY award at a cinnamon roll breakfast open to all TCMH staff on Friday, November 9.
Casper is a registered nurse (RN) at Home Health of the Ozarks at TCMH. The DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Award is the highest recognition award for TCMH licensed practical nurses and RNs.
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. Casper received four different nominations for the DAISY award from Robert Adkison, Lynwood Johnson, Deborah Stark and a fourth community member.
“Mary Beth helped so much with information that kept me from panicking and kept the doctor informed of my needs, meds and appointments,” Adkison explained. “I would no doubt have been back in the hospital without her help.”
Adkison explained that when he was released from the hospital, he still needed a little “TLC,” and Casper offered just that.
Other nominators, like Johnson, described Casper as having a “casual, yet careful way” that makes the patient feel comfortable letting Casper into their home.
“She is very understanding and supportive to the patient and family members,” Stark said. “Mary Beth Casper is just GREAT!”
Casper received a special DAISY Award pin; a recognition certificate, a bouquet of fresh flowers, and a hand-carved stone sculpture 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 the nursing staff.
Kalli Wade, John Sawyer, Melanie Evans, Courtney Stewart, Stephanie Gingerich, Kristel Barton, Tara Grandstaff, Caitlyn Barry, Holli Massey, Ashlynn Rogers, Brittany Walter, Nancy Branson, Tamra Dodge, Cody Rogers, Paul Fockler, Cheryl Branum, Shelby Ellison, Daya Martin, Jade Moore and Shelby Creek, nurses at TCMH, also received special recognition and a DAISY pin for being nominated for DAISY awards.