Hospital honors nurse Trisha Plamondon with DAISY Award.

Trisha Plamondon – photo from SHLH.

Hospital honors nurse Trisha Plamondon with DAISY Award.

LUDINGTON — Trisha Plamondon, a nurse in the obstetrics department at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital has been named the winner of the first DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses at the Ludington Hospital. The announcement was made at a ceremony today in front of Plamondon’s colleagues as well as physicians, patients and visitors, including the former patient who nominated her for the award.

“I was so honored and surprised to be nominated and then selected,” said Plamondon, who has worked at the Ludington Hospital obstetrics department since 2007. “I work with a fabulous group of nurses who work hard every single day to provide exceptional care to our patients as they bring new life into the world. I know that we all feel honored to do this work, and I am very appreciative of Erin for taking the time to nominate me and to share her story. I don’t feel that I did anything heroic on that day or anything particularly special for her because, frankly, every patient is special to me. A big part of my nursing practice is to put myself in my patients’ shoes and work to understand their situation and their feelings. To me, that’s the essence of compassion.”

The DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize nurses for the care they provide. Based in Glen Ellen, Cali., the Foundation and the award, which is featured in hospitals around the world, was established by family members of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 in late 1999 from complications of a common auto-immune disease. DAISY is an acronym of “Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem.” The care Patrick and his family received from nurses inspired them to develop the DAISY award to help honor and celebrate their compassion.

Nurses are nominated by patients, families and colleagues, and they are chosen by a committee of nurses at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital, using a methodology that hides the nominees’ identities but features the stories of why they are nominated. Awards are given three times a year, with each honoree given a certificate and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch.” Online nominations can be completed at www.spectrumhealth.org/Ludington by clicking on the DAISY Award section at the bottom of the page. At the Ludington Hospital, nomination forms and boxes are also at all nurse stations, in lobbies and in the medical offices.

Plamondon was nominated by Erin Wohlberg, of Ludington, who was present at the award presentation. Wohlberg’s nomination read in part:  “After having my second c-section in three years, I was tired and somewhat scared to be honest,” Wohlberg wrote. “Life seemed in my face and very real, and I believe Trisha could see that in me. She made me feel like an old friend, and I completely owe my sanity to her in those first few days of being a new Mom of two. Her attitude and demeanor was kind and gentle and I appreciate everything she did for me.”

According to Holly Thalman, nursing supervisor and DAISY Award coordinator at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital, the inaugural DAISY Award ceremony was purposefully planned during National Nurses Week. “We are proud to bring the DAISY Award program to our organization and provide a way for patients and our staff to recognize our incredible nurses. Nurses are heroes every day, doing work that has a profound impact on the human condition. It’s important that our nurses know they and their work are highly valued.”