Compassion, advocacy, listening and critical thinking. These are words the daughter of a patient used when nominating Bayhealth Medical ICU Nurse Jennifer Melvin, MSN, RN, for the DAISY Award she recently received.
“I am an RN myself and in 23 years and three states of practice, I can confidently say she is one of the best nurses I have encountered. I am so grateful for all her help with my dad and the care he received while in her capable hands,” wrote the daughter as she continued to express why she thought Melvin should receive the DAISY Award.
“She is a great reminder of why we do what we do as nurses! You can tell she derives satisfaction from changing the outcome and providing the best care possible to her patients and does it with a smile and calm demeanor. Kudos to you Jenn!” she concluded her nomination for Melvin.
Melvin, who joined Bayhealth 20 years ago and has served in several roles across many departments and started working as a nurse in the Medical ICU at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus in late 2021, said receiving the award was humbling and a big surprise.
“I do not come to work or care for my patients with the hopes of gaining something. In fact, it is the exact opposite. I come to work and take great care of my patients because I enjoy giving, being someone that someone in need can count on, and someone they know that will help them through,” said Melvin, who decided to become a nurse after a conversation she had with her own dad about colleges and career options.
“I truly hadn’t thought of myself as someone that would go into healthcare, but my dad saw me otherwise,” she shared. “He was my motivation to go to nursing school.”
Melvin also remembers the patient whose daughter nominated her for the DAISY Award. “I recall his deep gratitude and overwhelming sense of safety and trust that he felt when I was assigned as his nurse over the course of his stay. I advocate for my patients in a way where I not only articulate their thoughts, feelings, wishes and clinical needs, but I use my vast clinical knowledge to support this reasoning and justification for the next steps in a patient’s plan of care and clinical work up,” she explained.
The DAISY Award is given by the DAISY Foundation, which was formed in 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes. The Barnes family wanted to recognize the nurses who cared for Patrick and all the other “unsung heroes” of the nursing profession.
DAISY Award honorees are chosen by nurses, administrators, peers, physicians, volunteers, patients, and family. If you know a Bayhealth nurse who deserves to be nominated, visit Bayhealth.org/DAISY and fill out the nomination form.
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