By his own admission, Vehid Basic, RN, CGRN, is generally reserved and prefers being in the background rather than front-and-center. He likes being places where things happen – and he takes a lot of pictures to document the occasions – but he doesn’t want to be the focal point.

Imagine then his reaction when his name was announced as the DAISY Award winner for nursing excellence, surrounded by his colleagues and friends from the Highland Endoscopy Center.

And that was before his mother, sister and daughter entered the Collins Auditorium to present him with a bouquet of roses and congratulatory hugs.

“I’m still shaken,” said Basic, who has been employed at Highland Hospital since 2006. “I’m glad I was recognized, but anyone in my department is worthy of such an honor.”

It’s difficult to hide Basic’s efforts these past few months. In addition to being a constant support for patients in the HEC – the day he received the DAISY Award, Vehid worked until after 12:30 a.m. and then returned for another shift at 6:30 a.m. – Basic helped secure an oscillatory machine and vest to assist a preteen boy with cystic fibrosis in Croatia he never met. He drummed up support, both material and financial, from friends and colleagues at Highland and in the community, and has since begun assisting another Croatian boy in a similar situation.

“That’s why I’m here,” said Basic, a former teacher and native of Bosnia. “The purpose of nursing is to care, to be altruistic.”

Comments from colleagues and patients support that sentiment. L F, RN, wrote that Vehid “makes people/patients his No. 1 priority,” and G S, RN, wrote “he establishes immediate rapport with patients and families” and that “when another opportunity (to help) knocks on Vehid’s door, he’ll be ready to help.” Many of the nurses who gathered to celebrate Basic’s award referred to him as “an asset to the department” and the DAISY “couldn’t have gone to a more deserving nurse.”

And yet Basic immediately starts pointing out everyone else’s contributions. He recalled being pleased to have met the Barnes family, who established the DAISY Award in memory of their son, Patrick. Of course, he took a picture of himself with them and remembers them as “normal and kind people.” Their story prompted him to search on Google for more information about the disease that took Patrick Barnes’ life. Basic carries a little notebook with him and always jots down reminders of things he wants to know more about. He loves learning and is currently studying to earn his BSN.

“I’ve never seen a work ethic like his,” said HEC Nurse Manager Pat Forrester, RN, BSN, MS, CGRN. “He gives his personal best every minute of every day and with every interaction with a patient. Vehid is supportive of patients and staff. He never wavers from what he’s been given to do and what he decides to do.

“He’s a rock, and I’m honored to have him on my team.”