Sledge was nominated by a patient for “providing excellent care” and “being everything good a nurse should be: patient, kind and compassionate.”
The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. The DAISY Foundation was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died at the age of 33 from complications of a little known, but not uncommon, auto-immune disease.
“Meghan Sledge exemplifies what a professional nurse is. She is highly skilled and dedicated to the profession and the future growth of the profession. Meghan has a true inner light that shines as she delivers patient-centered care. She treats all patients as though they were her family. Her warm smile often puts patients and families at ease. We are truly blessed to have Meghan as a part of our team,” said SMHC Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Joanna Salamone.
“We are proud to be among the healthcare organizations participating in the DAISY Award program. Nurses are heroes every day. It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that,” said Salamone.
Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. They are chosen by a committee of nurses at Southern Maine Health Care to receive The DAISY Award. Awards are given throughout the year at presentations given in front of the nurse’s colleagues, physicians, patients, and visitors.
Each honoree receives a certificate commending her or him for being an “Extraordinary Nurse,” and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.
“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, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Southern Maine Health Care are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”
If you have received extraordinary care from a nurse at Southern Maine Health Care and would like to nominate them for a DAISY Award, please complete the online application at: https://mainehealth.org/southern-maine-health-care/about/contact-us-at-smhc/daisy-award.
Southern Maine Health Care is a national award-winning healthcare system with a non-profit mission “to improve the health and health care of the communities we serve.”
SMHC includes a full service, acute care medical center in Biddeford, with York County’s only inpatient mental health unit. Emergency care, surgical services, and diagnostic and therapy services are available at SMHC’s Medical Centers in Biddeford and Sanford. SMHC offers primary care and multi-specialty physician services, diagnostic and therapy services, and Walk-In Care centers in various York County communities including Biddeford, Kennebunk, North Berwick, Saco, Sanford and Waterboro.
It is Joint Commission accredited and has been recognized for quality excellence by numerous outside organizations.
Visit www.smhc.org, https://www.youtube.com/c/smhcorgme, orhttps://twitter.com/SMHCHealth to learn more about SMHC and SMHC providers.
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, California, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease.
The care that Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. For a complete listing of healthcare organizations currently running the program, please go to http://DAISYfoundation.org
This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation in service to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects,
The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students.
More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.
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