For Immediate Release
Contact: Jill Gray, Communications and Public Affairs Manager (207) 779-2555
Award celebrates the extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care given by nurses every day
Farmington, ME - In recognition of outstanding nursing care, Kaitlyn Dube, RN, was recently awarded the DAISY Award at Franklin Memorial Hospital (FMH). The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skills and compassionate care given by nurses every day.
As FMH’s first Daisy Award recipient, Dube was celebrated in a public ceremony on March 5. The intensive care unit served as the backdrop for this special occasion, where Dube received a certificate, the DAISY award pin, a bouquet of daisies and a beautifully hand-carved stone sculpture. During the ceremony Deanna Orfanidis, chief nursing officer, provided background information about the award and Dube’s submitted nomination was read aloud by colleague Sarah Blodgett, featuring words of gratitude from the patient’s family, some of which follows.
Dube, who is a nurse in the intensive care unit, was nominated by Blodgett and her family who wrote, “We’re honored to nominate Kate for the DAISY Award. Kate was the ICU nurse caring for a family member during a challenging day with multiple high demand patients. This was one of the hardest days of our lives, with elevated emotions and so many questions. Kate demonstrated what a truly extraordinary nurse she is. Her direct nursing care and actions clearly showed her skilled health care competence.”
In closing Blodgett stated in her nomination, “As a nurse, it’s hard to be on the ‘other side’ of care being provided to family. Working at Franklin Memorial Hospital, I feel very fortunate and proud to know our patients’ physical and emotional needs are being met with superior care. I am thankful Kate was our nurse that day. She demonstrated and validated what health care is all about. As my favorite quote from the late Maya Angelou said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ This defines Kate.”
“We are so pleased to bring the DAISY Award to Franklin,” said Orfanidis. “We have many extraordinary nurses providing compassionate care to our patients and community and we look forward to celebrating them through the DAISY program.”
FMH asks for the public’s help in sharing their story of how a nurse or other care team member made a difference in their care or that of someone they know. Boxes containing nomination forms have been strategically placed on the Franklin campus in waiting areas for easy access. Online nominations can also be submitted at fchn.org/recognize.
In January, FMH proudly became a DAISY Award hospital partner alongside other MaineHealth campuses, reinforcing its commitment to recognizing excellence in nursing. It also launched the BEE Award, to celebrate the indispensable contributions of non-nursing care team members, further enriching the culture of appreciation.
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About Franklin Community Health Network
Franklin Community Health Network is a nonprofit, integrated network of rural health care providers created by Franklin Memorial Hospital in 1991. Its affiliates include Franklin Memorial Hospital, Franklin Health, Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County, and NorthStar EMS. It is a part of the MaineHealth family of local health systems.