(Peoria, IL / July 17, 2013) – OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is pleased to announce the most recent winner of the DAISY Award, which recognizes outstanding nursing care. Winners are nominated by patients and their families.

The April 2013 DAISY Award was presented to Melissa Finney from Peoria. She works on the Surgical Acute unit.

Her nomination reads:

My son, Jeremy, had surgery for his Crohn’s Disease. The day after surgery, after removal of the catheter, Jeremy was having difficulty urinating. Melissa had to use the straight catheter and drained 750 ml of fluid the first time and 900 ml the second time. She listened to our concerns; she called the doctor and truly showed compassion, kindness, and professional care to the best. She helped us through a very difficult day and without Melissa’s work for us and with us through that day, we wouldn’t have healed the way we should have. She deserves a DAISY Award for her excellent care above and beyond being a good nurse.

OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is the first hospital in the Midwest to participate in the DAISY Award, a national endeavor. The hospital receives approximately 180 DAISY nominations each month. From those nominations, a panel of five judges from the Professional Nursing Congress Recognition/Communication Committee at OSF Saint Francis chooses a monthly winner. Nurses who win a DAISY Award receive an award pin as well as a hand-carved Shona sculpture from Zimbabwe, an award certificate, a bouquet of daisies, cinnamon powder called “DAISY dust”, and cinnamon rolls for their entire unit.