April 2023
Barbara
Eckart
,
RN
Cardiac Rehab
Johnson Memorial Hospital
Franklin
,
IN
United States
She not only cares about patients, people, and coworkers. She does it with a smile on her face the--same smile she has had for the last 40 years of her nursing practice.
I would like to nominate Barbara Eckart for the DAISY Award. Barb and I started working here as young girls fresh out of college. She was pretty amazing then, but boy is she amazing now. Her JMH journey started on 1 Main. At the time it housed both Pediatrics and patients in Security hold. It was the 80’s. I don’t think anyone ever thought those 2 patient types shouldn’t be together. After her stint on 1 Main she became a house supervisor. Barb has a gift. She can make almost anyone laugh. And that is what she did. She moved from unit to unit spreading joy. Everyone loved seeing her come onto their units and having her check in. They knew their day was better because they got a few minutes to chat and laugh with her. Her journey moved on to the Telemetry Unit and Critical Care before she landed in Cardiac Rehab and she has been there ever since, bringing smiles to cardiac patients throughout Johnson County. I can tell you that I don’t know what I would do without her and the joy she brings to work with her every day. When we talked about adding the Anti-Coag Clinic, Barb was there discovering what she needed to do to get qualified to work in the clinic. She kept her co-worker and I psyched up for the clinic to open. The Barb I know calls patients who do not call and do not come to rehab. She would tell you that the entire staff does that, but you know why? Barb showed them it was the RIGHT thing to do. I know she has dropped food off for patients, among the million other little things she does to brighten the days of her patients. The laughter bounces of the exercise equipment and all through the new addition. It’s Barb. She is just so funny. She knows what is going to make each and every patient happy in Cardiac Rehab and the Coag Clinic. She knows laughter is the best medicine. And she spreads that medicine all day, every day. She told me that she thought a physician from “back in the day” was like the Pied Piper. I am going to debate this with her. I think it is Barb who is the Pied Piper. For patients, and nurses, and lab techs, doctors, and even this “old” Respiratory Therapist. I know a lot of RN’s here at JMH, but Barb is special. She not only cares about patients, people, and coworkers. She does it with a smile on her face the--same smile she has had for the last 40 years of her nursing practice.