Olivia Wyant, a nurse at Altru Health System, is being honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care that nurses provide patients and families every day.
Olivia Wyant, an RN with the Family Birthing Center, was nominated to receive this award by a patient who recently gave birth. The mother spent 39 hours in labor.
“She encouraged me during a long and difficult labor,” said her patient. “Nurse Wyant listened to my fears and talked me through them, which ultimately led to the delivery of a beautiful baby boy.”
After the family’s provider was unable to deliver the baby, the family had to communicate their needs with a new provider. Nurse Wyant was able to help address the family’s concerns.
“It’s amazing how sometimes the right person comes into your life at the exact time you need them,” wrote the patient’s husband. “Her professionalism gave my wife confidence and encouragement.”
The patient herself was equally grateful to Nurse Wyant for staying after work to help coach her through the procedure.
“She was curious, concerned, open-minded, supportive, and the best advocate I could have been given in a time of dire need. I felt safe, supported, heard, and empowered by her.”
The Family Birthing Center celebrated Nurse Wyant’s award during a ceremony earlier this month.
“Nurse Wyant exhibits the best traits found in a nurse: someone who is caring, compassionate, a good listener, and knowledgeable,” said Chief Nursing Officer Janice Hamscher. “She and all of the nurses in the Family Birthing Center are exemplary in their care of patients: the mothers, the fathers, and the newest and littlest of patients at Altru.”
The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, Calif., and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. 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. 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.
