Gaylord Names Inaugural DAISY Nursing Award Recipient

In celebration of National Nurses Week (May 8 through May 12), Gaylord Specialty Healthcare presented its first DAISY Award for Extraordinary Care to East Haven resident Jamie Wortman, RN.

In a written nomination, Wortman’s colleague Khaleda Begum, RN, described her as “a remarkable nurse” who is “caring, knowledgeable, patient and helpful to other nurses in any situation.”

Begum described a recent patient situation in which Wortman’s quick thinking, exceptional clinical assessment skills and commitment to patient advocacy were evident.

“Jamie noticed that one of her patients had increased confusion and an altered mental status,” she wrote. “She worked with the patient’s physician for an immediate intervention which revealed a serious and potentially life-threatening condition. Jamie was the first to sense the severity of the situation and she took immediate action to keep the patient safe.”

Wortman, a nurse of six years, explained that although she is thrilled to have been recognized with the DAISY Award, the ultimate reward is being able to watch her patients make gains and achieve positive outcomes.

“My patients come here at their lowest point,” she said. “Seeing them progress and go home or move on to the next level of care is really what drives me as a nurse every day.”

DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The award was created by the DAISY Foundation in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died of an auto-immune disease in 1999. The Barnes Family was appreciative of the clinical skills, caring and compassion exhibited by each of the nurses who cared for Patrick and created the international award and foundation to say ‘thank you’ to nurses throughout the world.

The Gaylord Specialty Healthcare DAISY Award committee will present the award each quarter to a nurse who has established a special connection with a patient or a family, has significantly made a difference in the life of a patient, shows empathy in all situations, is an outstanding role model for the nursing profession, generates enthusiasm and energy towards meeting the challenges of nursing, consistently exhibits excellent interpersonal skills, and exemplifies the essence of professional nursing in all activities.

About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:
Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system that provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in their journey from illness and injury to maximum recovery.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is widely recognized for its leadership in treating spinal cord and brain injuries and is also known for treating pulmonary, cardiac, amputee and stroke patients as well as sports-related injuries. It is the only rehabilitation system in CT accredited by CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) for both inpatient and outpatient programs.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is anchored by Gaylord Hospital, a Long-Term Acute Care Hospital, and includes Gaylord Outpatient and Gaylord Physical Therapy for patients who require diagnosis and treatment on an outpatient basis. Together, these entities deliver a complete continuum of rehab care driven by technology, research, clinical experience, and human compassion. For more information visit www.gaylord.org.