The simple expression of gratitude or acknowledgement creates a ripple effect. Whether it’s celebrating a colleague’s professional or personal achievement or recognizing someone for going the extra mile in caring for a patient, it’s important to take the time to say thank you and congratulations. Here are just a few of the ways we recognize each other.

On Tower 4B, staff are encouraged to write a “kudos” note and post it on a bulletin board to recognize a colleague for “taking our values to heart.” On Tower 4C, staff frequently recognize their peers by writing a kind word about a colleague on a sticky note for the pod’s bulletin board.

On Tower 14AB, staff established a Sunshine Fund to help them celebrate weddings, births and other milestones. A recent donation to the fund was made by a patient who sent a generous check to honor his nurses for the excellent care they provided to him.

Over the past few years, many Department of Nursing and Patient Care Services staff have been nominated for the Brigham Way – an initiative created by Brigham Health President Betsy Nabel, MD – to honor staff who go above and beyond for patients, families and one another. From organizing patient weddings to helping each patient achieve his or her “miracle,” nurses and PCS staff continue to show our patients, families and colleagues what makes the Brigham one of the best places to receive care.

I am delighted to announce that next month we will launch the DAISY Award – an international program recognizing extraordinary nurses – throughout the hospital. The DAISY Award was established by the Barnes family in 1999 in memory of their son Patrick to say “thank you” to the nurses at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance who cared for him during the final weeks of his life. Each month, the BWH DAISY Award committee will review nomination letters from patients, families and colleagues, select an honoree and surprise him or her with a celebration. The program is being piloted on Tower 10CD/12B, and we will celebrate the first DAISY Award winner on Oct. 23.

I want to recognize Christine Tower, RN, and Rachel Zafron, RN, clinical nurses and BWH DAISY Award program coordinators, for championing the program at the Brigham and bringing forward the idea to implement the DAISY Award. I’d also like to thank Maureen Fagan, DNP, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, associate chief nurse for the Connors Center for Women and Families and executive director for the Center for Patients and Families; Mary Pennington, MS, RN, nurse director of the Neuroscience Intermediate Care Unit; and Celene Wong, MHA, project manager for the Center for Patients and Families, for their support in launching our DAISY Award program.

Thank you for everything you do to provide exceptional care experiences and create a supportive work environment.

With warm regards,

Madelyn Pearson, MSN, MA, RN, NEA-BC
Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services