A longstanding, well respected City of Hope nurse has won the institution’s first DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
Susan McCreary, R.N., received the award on June 22 from The DAISY Foundation, which recognizes nurses who provide exceptional daily care to patients and their families.
A nurse at City of Hope since 1985, McCreary started as a new graduate and quickly developed into a skillful and knowledgeable professional. Colleagues often refer to her as a patient advocate, and patients and their families repeatedly comment on the excellent care that McCreary provides them.
“Susan McCreary is a caring and compassionate professional - a great teacher to patients, families and the staff,” said Mildred Ortiz, R.N., clinical nurse manager, who supervises McCreary. “She is cheerful and fun to be around and is an asset to the nursing staff. Susan exemplifies the mission, vision and values of City of Hope and is an extraordinary nurse.” Bonnie Barnes, co-founder of The DAISY Foundation, attended the presentation. “The kind of work the nurses at City of Hope are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award,” she said.
In addition to her bedside nursing with cancer patients, McCreary recently gave an educational presentation for surgical nurses on how to care for patients who have undergone reconstructive surgery. Using an evidence-based approach, she demonstrated to staff the importance of consulting research literature to support their practice. She also volunteers for the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team and is pursuing certification as an emergency medical technician.
Each month at City of Hope, physicians, colleagues, patients and patients’ families will nominate a nurse to receive The DAISY Award, which is sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank. Honorees receive an African Shona tribe sculpture titled “A Healer’s Touch,” which is provided through the Spirits in Stone Gallery in Sonoma, Calif. The winner also receives an award pin, a large bouquet of daisies and a framed certificate commending the honoree for being an extraordinary nurse.
City of Hope joins over 50 other medical facilities in the country participating in The DAISY
Award Program. DAISY stands for “diseases attacking the immune system,” and the foundation was created in 2000 by the parents of a young man who died of a rare autoimmune blood disorder.
Information about The DAISY Award and nominations is available at www.cityofhope.org/DAISYaward.
