Amanda Bigsby, RN, has been named a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses winner at SSM Health at Home – Home Care.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses® is part of The DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. 

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family. Patrick 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. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) 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.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families, and colleagues. The award recipient is selected based on specific criteria to receive The DAISY Award. Awards are presented to one recipient on a quarterly basis at celebrations attended by the honoree’s colleagues, patients, and visitors. 

Bigsby was nominated by three patients who wrote:

“Amanda has gone above and beyond with my care. She checks up on me and even checked up after my surgery. She couldn’t be more friendly. You can definitely tell that Amanda cares. I am happy to have her as my nurse. Thanks, Amanda, for all you do.”

“Amanda explained how to clean my wound in detail to me and my wife. All our questions were answered, and we feel confident going forward with healing my wound. Amanda is great!” 

“Amanda always comes to my house and is always friendly. She makes my wife feel like she is No. 1 and only. She always has a smile on her face even if she has had a bad day.”

Bigsby was recently recognized during a brief ceremony. She received a certificate commending her as an “Extraordinary Nurse.”  The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.” Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin, and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

“When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night,” according to Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, president and co-founder of The DAISY Foundation. “Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses SSM Health at Home – Home Care are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.