“One Little Act of Kindness”

Drue Berry, RN, holds the certificate recognizing him as DAISY Award honoree and a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved from serpentine stone by artists of the Shona tribe in southern Africa.

Gerber Memorial nurse gets DAISY honor for exceptional ‘compassion, professionalism and gentleness’
 
Fremont – Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial surprised registered nurse Drue Berry with the DAISY Award recognizing exceptional care shortly after he finished checking in on his patients in the ICU floor, doing what he loves best.
 
“What I like about being a nurse is doing the little things and being able to help someone through the hard times,” Berry said. “Doing that one little act of kindness that gets them through, I think that’s the thing that I like most.”
 
As a DAISY Award honoree, Berry received a certificate commending him for being an “Extraordinary Nurse.”  The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” The honoree also receives a beautiful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved from serpentine stone by artists of the Shona tribe in southern Africa.
 
Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues, and they are chosen by a committee of nurses at Gerber Memorial to receive the award.
 
The nomination Berry praised his “compassion, professionalism and gentleness” with his patient, a parent of the person who nominated him.
 
“He openly communicated with me at all hours of the day and night,” the nomination read. “His personality was comforting. He took the time to explain what was happening. He had a calming, reassuring presence.”
 
Part of a national program, the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is part of the DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. 
 
Nomination forms are available at nursing stations throughout the hospital and patients can submit those forms either by placing them in gray boxes near those forms or by handing them to a nurse or other hospital staff. Nominating forms will also be available at the hospital’s main lobby, as well as included in admission packets.
 
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at the age of 33 in 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
 
For more information about The DAISY Award and the Foundation’s other recognition of nurses, faculty and students, visit www.DAISYfoundation.org.
 
Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians, and associates are encouraged to nominate a deserving nurse by filling out the nomination form at reception located at the main hospital entrance. Completed forms can be dropped off or emailed to [email protected].

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