LaRanda Ballard, RN, Honored with DAISY Award

LaRanda Ballard, RN, of UK St. Claire was honored today with The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's programs to recognize the amazing and life-changing efforts nurses perform every day.

Ballard, a nurse in SCH’s 3 North unit, was nominated because of her compassion and dedication to her patients. She helps both the patients and their families to feel more at ease throughout their stay with a friendly face, kind words, and the occasional song. She makes sure everyone is well-informed and takes the time to address questions or concerns.

“We at St. Claire are honored to work with such amazing nurses,” said Courtney Richards, MSN, RN, Administrative Director, Acute Care. “Every day our nurses go above and beyond to provide care and make an impact in the lives of their patients. And that impact lasts long after they leave our hospital.”

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Barnes died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little-known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. The care he received from his nurses while he was ill inspired his family to establish this award.

"When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, Doctor of Humane Letters (h.c) and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation. “The kind of work the nurses at UK St. Claire are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the DAISY Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in over 5,500 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing and through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, Medical Mission Grants and their new Health Equity Grant programs.

For more information and a complete listing of healthcare organizations currently running the program, please go to http://DAISYfoundation.org.

To nominate an extraordinary nurse, visit www.st-claire.org/DAISY.