PACU nurse receives DAISY Award

Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital’s Department of Nursing recently honored the PACU’s Eileen Hanson, RN, with a DAISY Award.

Hanson was nominated by her colleague, Kathleen Leone, MBA, BSN, RN. In her nomination letter, Leone wrote in part:

To say that Eileen is an excellent nurse is an understatement. She is a voracious student who will research any new procedure, medication or surgical item to ensure she maintains her ability to bring her best to each patient interaction. She goes the extra steps to inform herself on new medications, new procedures, new documentation requirements, etc. She expertly navigates her resources in all areas of the hospital to ensure that she is prepared, informed and available to meet the needs of her patient, their families and her colleagues.

Eileen brings her decades worth of experience to each patient interaction. She is a role model in preparing herself by investigating comorbidities, special precautions, etc. that might impact the nursing plan of care for her patients. When the patients come out to her in the PACU, she meets them with an expert clinical assessment eye, bringing these keen refined assessments to the attention of the other members of the care team. She confidently interacts with the surgery staff, the OR staff, etc. to ensure that she is aware of what she needs to care for her patients, understands the intent of the recovery not only in the PACU, but beyond on the floors or upon discharge. She takes this information and uses this to form a plan of care that she executes with artistry, marrying her clinical experience with her warm and engaging nature. This combination is magic to watch as a colleague. With patients who are stressed, in pain, uncomfortable, afraid, she reassures them, informs them and empowers them to discharge to home with confidence to care for themselves or their family members.

Eileen has participated in countless interdepartmental meetings over the course of her career in the PACU. She has done so to support the work beyond her own assignments to improve the flow of care, to foster better working relations across the organization, to identify and forward the work of quality improvement projects/processes. Eileen was the clinical leader in the PACU for many years. While not currently a clinical leader, she is absolutely viewed as a leader, a resource to her peers and an expert in the recovery of patients from a multitude of procedures. She is a critical care nurse who is able to draw upon her critical care skills with impressive agility.

During the COVID-19 response, she was retained in the PACU and stepped up to provide a wider breadth of support to the patients who required surgery during that time. She was flexible and adaptable and provided creative ideas and energy to the experience. Eileen is a frequent preceptor. She provides patient and expert guidance to new staff, to students, to interns and residents. She has offered ideas for improving educational programs and she supports the work of the PCAs and UCs in our unit. Eileen coordinated meetings to improve the experience of our PCA staff. Eileen helped develop a standardized orientation and workflow for this staff. Her open and positive nature made a safe place for these essential staff members to feel heard and seen and understood. She then was able to improve the cooperation across the unit which improved the job satisfaction for the PCAs and the RNs.

To summarize Eileen’s impressive career is a challenge. She is such an important member of the staff. Her energy is joyful, she is welcoming to everyone, brings staff together and encourages the best from everyone. This award is a small but really important opportunity to recognize the collective excellence that Eileen has provided to our unit over the course of her career. For me personally, she is one of the best things about working in the PACU. I have learned so much from working alongside her about PACU care, teamwork, workplace environment, patient family communication and patient education. Her style is warm, authentic and engaging and infectious.

Hanson was presented with her DAISY Award by members of nursing leadership, the Nursing Professional Recognition and Advancement Committee and her supportive co-workers. 

She says it is an honor to be a DAISY Award recipient. “Having been at this hospital for 45 years, I have had clinical experiences in med-surg, ICU and PACU. I’m grateful for all the knowledge that I have gained, and honored that I have been chosen for this special award. Every day as a nurse is a new learning experience, and I am very thankful to work in such a rewarding profession,” she says.

The DAISY Award, established by the DAISY Foundation, is named in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at the age of 33 from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an auto-immune disease. The Barnes Family was inspired by the care that Patrick received and established this unique program to recognize and thank the nurses nationwide who make a profound difference in the lives of their patients and families.

To learn more about the DAISY Foundation, click here.

BWFH DAISY nurses consistently demonstrate excellence through their clinical expertise and extraordinarily compassionate care. They are recognized as outstanding role models in our nursing community and make a profound difference in the lives of their patients and their family members. Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians and employees may nominate a deserving nurse by completing a nomination online.

Published 1/19/23