BENNINGTON, Vt. Sarah Weber, RN, of Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's Medical/Surgical Unit, was the recipient of June's DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

 

"Sarah's a wonderful nurse with so many good qualities," Pamela Duchene, the organization's chief nursing officer and vice president of Patient Care Services said. "Her patients appreciate her above-and-beyond approach to communication. She listens and supports her patients and their families every step of the way."

 

Duchene presented the award during a surprise presentation on the unit on Tuesday, June 8.

 

Weber was nominated by the family members of a COVID-19 patient. The family shared that Weber's care marked an important turning point in their mother's illness. Weber's careful listening and relaying information made the patient's family feel more at ease. The patient is recovering at home.

 

In the nomination, the patient's family wrote, "She went above and beyond her normal duties and has made all the difference. She is knowledgeable, kind, and very professional."

 

Weber holds a bachelors in special education from Boston College and an associate's in nursing from Vermont Technical College. She has worked at SVMC since 2019. In addition, she is a preceptor and serves on the Med/Surge Advisory Council.

 

"I am a little overwhelmed," Weber admitted after the surprise presentation. "I come to work every day to help every single patient and make sure they feel validated. I listen to and acknowledge their problems. It is an honor to do this work here at SVMC."

 

Weber noted how important it has been to be a conduit of information and support between patients and their families during the COVID pandemic, as families are not able to be at the bedside with the nursing team.

 

"I cannot thank this extraordinary nurse enough, and I hope she can know how very grateful we are to her," the patient's family shared.

 

The DAISY Award is part of a national merit-based recognition program established by the DAISY Foundation. It celebrates nurses' education, training, and skill. Nominations can be submitted by patients, families, physicians, and colleagues. All nominations are blinded, so that they are anonymous before being reviewed by a selection committee. One nurse is then chosen as the DAISY Award winner. DAISY Awards are presented on a regular basis, usually bi-monthly or quarterly.