Empathy Earns Sellers a DAISY Award
Monday, April 12, 2021
|
Awards & Recognitions
Nurse Manager Verna Sellers, MSN, RN, CNML, knows firsthand what it was like to have loved ones hospitalized and the stress of not being able to visit them. Driven by her empathy, Sellers was able to comfort Amber Skinner, a family member of a patient who was receiving care on her unit.
While the visitation restrictions have been adjusted and positive COVID-19 cases decrease, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were necessary to keep everyone safe. Nonetheless, restrictions were challenging for care partners who longed to see their loved ones in our care. But teams throughout Bayhealth answered the call by finding innovative and creative ways to help care partners stay connected with patients.
“Recognizing that families are very anxious about their loved ones here in the hospital and taking the time to make calls to update family members, or even to just reminding patients to call their families, has been a team effort,” said Sellers.
In the nomination form for Sellers, Skinner wrote, "Thank you, Verna, for allowing me to have moments with my mom, so I could encourage her and let her know I was not giving up on her. Thank you for also talking to me and showing me compassion during this difficult time.”
Illness not only impacts the patient but also their loved ones, and Sellers and her team focused on being calmer when explaining things to help those who were uneasy with restrictions.
"There are a great deal of intense emotions right now more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I put myself in her shoes and I was happy to have made such a difference,” expressed Sellers.
While Sellers is the recipient of the DAISY Award, she gives the credit to her team who she says laid a foundation for a relationship with the Skinner family. “The adaptation and the resiliency the team demonstrated was inspiring and left such a great impact.”
The DAISY Award is given by the DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes. The Barnes family wanted to recognize the nurses who cared for Patrick and all the other “unsung heroes” of the nursing profession.
DAISY Award honorees are chosen by nurses, administrators, peers, physicians, volunteers, patients, and family. If you know a Bayhealth nurse who deserves to be nominated, visit Bayhealth.org/DAISY and fill out the nomination form.
While the visitation restrictions have been adjusted and positive COVID-19 cases decrease, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were necessary to keep everyone safe. Nonetheless, restrictions were challenging for care partners who longed to see their loved ones in our care. But teams throughout Bayhealth answered the call by finding innovative and creative ways to help care partners stay connected with patients.
“Recognizing that families are very anxious about their loved ones here in the hospital and taking the time to make calls to update family members, or even to just reminding patients to call their families, has been a team effort,” said Sellers.
In the nomination form for Sellers, Skinner wrote, "Thank you, Verna, for allowing me to have moments with my mom, so I could encourage her and let her know I was not giving up on her. Thank you for also talking to me and showing me compassion during this difficult time.”
Illness not only impacts the patient but also their loved ones, and Sellers and her team focused on being calmer when explaining things to help those who were uneasy with restrictions.
"There are a great deal of intense emotions right now more than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I put myself in her shoes and I was happy to have made such a difference,” expressed Sellers.
While Sellers is the recipient of the DAISY Award, she gives the credit to her team who she says laid a foundation for a relationship with the Skinner family. “The adaptation and the resiliency the team demonstrated was inspiring and left such a great impact.”
The DAISY Award is given by the DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes. The Barnes family wanted to recognize the nurses who cared for Patrick and all the other “unsung heroes” of the nursing profession.
DAISY Award honorees are chosen by nurses, administrators, peers, physicians, volunteers, patients, and family. If you know a Bayhealth nurse who deserves to be nominated, visit Bayhealth.org/DAISY and fill out the nomination form.