We are here today to present Maureen Peters, RN, with Mercy’s DAISY Award. The DAISY Award is a national nurse recognition program that honors nurses who demonstrate excellence in patient care. It was created by the Barnes family in memory of their son, J. Patrick Barnes, who succumbed to Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura at age 33.

Mercy instituted this program in July and Maureen is our 3rd nurse award winner. She was nominated by her peers in the ED for her compassionate touch with Baltimore’s homeless and for her unique ability to reach out to distressed patients and exhibit a calm, understanding touch.

According to her nomination form, “Maureen faces people who come into the ED yelling profanities and covered in filth and she reaches out and cares for them in a patient and understanding way, like she would care for her own mother. She will bathe them herself making sure they are clean head to toe.”

The nomination also noted that Maureen takes the extra time to come out front to the patient in distress to calm him or her and show compassion. “That seems like a little thing,” says her nominating colleague, “but it’s a huge thing to the patient, to have someone come to them directly and listen to their fears.”

Please join me in congratulating Maureen on being a role model of patient care and nursing excellence.