As Beth's nurse manager, I know what a compassionate, conscientious, and considerate person and nurse Beth is. But I was left absolutely speechless and moved to tears in reading the enclosed email from a patient's daughter, who is herself a Mission employee. I felt truly compelled to nominate Beth for the DAISY Award, and I am certain that once you have read the letter, you will agree.

Please read this letter with an open heart, with our MERIT values in the forefront of your consciousness, and with attention given to the way Beth's excellent nursing care brought our BIG(GER) Aim quite literally to life with this particular patient.

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... I wanted to let you know what a blessing one of my mother's nurses has been to her and our family. Her name is Beth Durr.

Beth was my mom's nurse when my mom had surgery and was on PCA pain meds. On those two days, she was our favorite nurse by far. Not saying that anyone else was poor or inadequate, everyone has been great, but Beth just had a way about her. She treated Mom like she was the only patient she had, she was never in a hurry and she attended to each and every need.

When Mom was off the PCA, Beth noticed some speech slurring, then right-sided weakness and poor control of her right arm and leg. Her recognition of these symptoms and her rapid response to them led to my mother being diagnosed with a stroke.

I am forever grateful to her for not just dismissing the symptoms as her weaning off the pain meds or being weak from her surgery, but listening to her patient and being attuned to her needs. She got my mom the care she needed quickly and, I believe, prevented a much worse outcome.

But the part of the story that truly shows her compassion is the fact that she called my mom's room on her day off, just to check on my mom and make sure she was still improving. That proves the compassion she has for her patients. That phone call made my mom's day and meant the world to us.