Maribeth and Jeff Osborn nominated McLeod Registered Nurse Emery Aldea for the July Daisy Award for the excellent care she provided to Jeff when he was a patient in the McLeod Heart & Vascular ICU.

McLeod Registered Nurse Emery Aldea was named the July DAISY Award Recipient for McLeod Regional Medical Center on July 17, 2018. Aldea was nominated for the care she provided to Jeff Osborn when he was a patient in the McLeod Heart and Vascular Intensive Care Unit.

To recognize those Nurses at McLeod Regional Medical Center who are true examples of Nursing Excellence, patients, family members and co-workers may nominate nurses for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

“Emery showed constant love and care for me as I was recovering from triple bypass open heart surgery,” said Osborn. “She truly loves her job and it shows through everything she does. It is not just a job for her. Emery took time to answer questions and always had a pleasant attitude. When it came time for me to go home, she hugged not only me, but my wife, Maribeth, as well and wished us the best. We truly enjoyed her presence. May God keep his hand on her.”

Maribeth Osborn added, “Emery worked tirelessly with Jeff once he woke from anesthesia to keep him comfortable. She kept us informed of everything she was doing, whether adding a medication or drawing blood. I was able to keep a level of calm because everything Emery did demonstrated that she was one hundred percent vested in the care of my husband. She was Jeff’s guardian angel the day of his surgery, and for that I will be eternally grateful.”

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, California, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique way of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

Nurses may be nominated for their strong clinical skills and the compassionate care they provide. Nomination forms are available on each nursing unit at McLeod Regional Medical Center or can be found at www.McLeodNursing.org.

Recipients of the DAISY Award are chosen by the DAISY committee led by nurses at McLeod Regional Medical Center. Awards are given throughout the year at presentations in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors. Each honoree receives a certificate commending her or 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 is also given a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.