Fish-hook story nets nurse Louise surprise award

When Louise Betts was asked join her friends on a shopping trip on her day off she got a little more than she bargained for.

Fish-hook story nets nurse Louise surprise award

Emergency Nurse Practitioner Louise arrived as agreed at Witney Community Hospital and didn’t suspect anything when they asked her to quickly nip inside. She patiently listened to a presentation given by the Trust’s Chief Nurse, Marie Crofts, only to be told that everyone in the room was there to see Louise be presented with a DAISY award!

The DAISY Awards is an international recognition programme that honours and celebrates the skilful and compassionate care provided by nurses and midwives each day.

DAISY describes itself as a partnership with healthcare organisations to provide on-going recognition of the clinical skill and especially the compassion nurses provide to patients and families all year long.

Oxford Health employs more than 1,700 nurses who are eligible to be nominated and, especially given the extra challenges the pandemic has brought.

Skills and compassion

Louise was nominated by a member of the public who had managed to get a barbed fish hook embedded in his finger while fishing. He wrote that he was nominating her not just for her skills and knowledge, but also that she showed real compassion and that he “genuinely felt I had made a friend.”

She said: “I was shocked and proud!

“I can’t believe that the patient put me forward, I’m very, very happy – in fact I don’t think happy is a good enough word to describe it!

“I love working here and the team are really supportive. We work with people when they are at their most vulnerable and it really is a pleasure to be able to help them.”

The award was handed over by Marie Crofts and Britta Klinck. Britta explained: “When we look at the nominations they are all anonymous. We have no idea who the nominees are, but this one really struck us.

“Every nomination we receive shows in some way how someone has made the experience for patients better at a difficult time.”

Marie said: “It is always nice to get out not just to meet colleagues but to be able to do something really nice like present a thoroughly deserved award.

“You could really tell from the nomination what sort of person Louise is and how that has such a positive effect on patients.”

How can I nominate someone?

Nominations can be made by visiting our dedicated webpage or by scanning the QR code.

 

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Published: 1 February 2022