Local nurses honored as DAISY Award recipients

Alyssa Zeallor, RN, and Rachel Leggitt, RN, both acute care nurses at Clark Fork Valley Hospital, were surprised and honored with The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses at a reception held at the hospital in Plains on Dec. 14.

Co-workers and surprise guests, including some of their family members, attended the event that recognized both deserving nurses as part of the DAISY Foundation's program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. Homemade cinnamon rolls were presented to the honorees for them to share with their departments which continues a DAISY Award tradition.

Lisa Eberhardt, RN, BSN, Chief Nursing Officer presented the awards and made sure to mention that, “Many of the nurses who receive this award feel like they are just doing their job and don’t deserve such recognition.”

Before reading Zeallor’s nomination story, Eberhardt explained that the DAISY committee makes a special effort to invite the individuals who nominate award recipients. Dana Hansen, who nominated Zeallor wasn’t able to make it in person so Eberhardt made special accommodations to have the reception streaming live via zoom.

Zeallor’s award nomination read in part:

"Our father was admitted in near critical condition. She cared for him for a few days in a row. Due to this continuity, she was acutely aware of his drastic and rapid decline in condition. Our father passed away on the fourth morning after he was admitted. Alyssa cared for our father with skill, tenderness and loving kindness. She was his preferred nurse. Although he was at the end of his life and no longer verbal, he was clearly soothed when she was caring for him. She helped my siblings understand what was medically happening to his body. She held space for our grieving. She selflessly gave us her time. We will forever be grateful for Alyssa’s compassion, kindness, selflessness and skilled caring. Those were some of the hardest days of our lives. Alyssa softened our pain and provided great comfort to our dying father and our bruised hearts."

After Zeallor accepted her award, Hansen thanked her for the amazing care she provided her father over the phone. A choked up Zeallor said it was her absolute pleasure and thanked Hansen for taking the time to nominate her.

Leggit also held back the tears listening to her nomination story that read:

"When I was a patient, I looked forward to Rachel coming in every day. She was cheerful and kind and if I was feeling blue, she would cheer me up and I could joke and laugh with her. She was my shining star."

Eberhardt proudly touted both nurses and the wonderful care they provide to patients at CFVH each and every day.

CFVH adopted the international DAISY Award program in 2019 and has awarded it to four nurses so far.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick who 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 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.

Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, CEO and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation said, "When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at St. Anthony Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

If you have received exceptional care from one of our nurses and would like to thank them in a special way, we encourage you to nominate them for a DAISY Award®. Learn more at: https://www.cfvh.org/patients-and-visitors/daisy-award/. Nomination forms are also available at each of our hospital and Family Medicine office locations.