PICTURED: Alicia Erwin, RN, MCCH’s inaugural DAISY Award Honoree (center, holding her DAISY Award) along with MCCH staff, members of administration, and providers.

MURRAY, KY – During National Nurses Week, Murray-Calloway County Hospital (MCCH) proudly celebrated a special milestone with the presentation of its very first DAISY Award – an internationally-recognized program that honors nurses for the extraordinary compassion, clinical skill, and exceptional care they provide to patients and families every day.

Healthcare organizations across the country participate in the DAISY Award program to recognize nurses who make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. MCCH’s inaugural DAISY Award was presented to Alicia Erwin, RN (of MCCH’s Inpatient Rehab Facility), following a heartfelt nomination submitted by the family of a patient recovering from a traumatic injury in the inpatient rehabilitation facility.

In the nomination, Alicia was recognized not only for her outstanding clinical care, but also for the compassion, emotional support, and humanity she brought to both the patient and his family during one of the most difficult seasons of their lives.

“Alicia became such a light for all of us,” the family member shared in the nomination. “She cared for my grandfather in a way that went far beyond his medical needs. She had an incredible ability to see him not just as a patient, but as a person, and that meant everything to our family.”

The nomination also described how Alicia “brought calm into chaos, reassurance into fear, and comfort into heartbreak.” By the end of the patient’s stay, the family said Alicia had become much more than a nurse to both the patient and their loved ones.

A total of 24 nominations were submitted for MCCH’s first DAISY Award. Each nomination was blinded and carefully reviewed by the MCCH DAISY Committee, which selected the honoree based on established criteria. While only one nurse received the award, every nomination reflected the meaningful impact MCCH nurses make on patients and families every day.

“The DAISY Award gives us the opportunity to recognize the extraordinary work our nurses do every single day,” said Jeff Eye, Chief Nursing Officer. “We are proud to honor Alicia Erwin as our first DAISY Award recipient and celebrate the compassion and excellence demonstrated by our entire nursing team.”

The DAISY Award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize nurses for the exceptional, compassionate care they provide patients and families. Anyone can nominate an MCCH nurse for the DAISY Award, including patients, family members, fellow nurses, physicians, staff members, and community members. MCCH looks forward to continuing this tradition of honoring nurses whose dedication leaves a lasting impact on those they serve.

For more information about the DAISY Award and how to nominate an extraordinary nurse at MCCH, visit our website at www.murrayhospital.org or contact the Marketing Department at 270-762-1382.