Ben Covington Awarded DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at EGRMC

Ben Covington, R.N., was recently awarded the hospital’s DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Ben began his nursing career at EGRMC in 2017 and is a nurse in the emergency department.

The nomination form written on Ben’s behalf included the following:

“Ben recently cared for a stroke patient in the emergency department, and the patient’s family member raved about the compassionate care they received from him. The family member went on to state how comfortable Ben made them feel, and how they were reassured by his compassion and caring demeanor. He explained everything to them in a way they could easily understand. Ben is always consistently calm with patients and their families. In the Emergency Department, that is an extremely important trait. He has never received anything other than glowing compliments and appreciation for his patient care.”

The nomination also goes on to share that Ben has and continues to mentor new nurse employees, including new nurse graduates. He is patient, calm, and helps to foster and build confidence within our new nurses. He has spent numerous hours in his off-time thinking through and presenting options to better improve throughput in the Emergency Department. Ben comes in to support his team during surges in the E.D., and is always ready to stay over and work if needed without being asked. His calm demeanor and interaction with his patients, their families, and his peers is unparalleled. Ben is a quiet, yet very strong leader. He leads by his actions and is without a doubt a team role model.

Nurses may be nominated for the DAISY Award by patients, family members, and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by a committee at EGRMC, upon review of all nominations. Each Honoree receives a certificate commending her or him 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, bouquet of daisies, a banner to hang in their respective department, fresh baked cinnamon rolls for their team, and a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called ‘A Healer’s Touch’, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

“Ben embodies the true spirit of the DAISY Award,” said Stephen Pennington, CEO of East Georgia Regional Medical Center. “He treats every patient with compassion and respect, and he never waivers in his dedication to providing the very best care.”

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.

Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, President and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human, extraordinary, compassionate work they do. The kind of work the nurses at East Georgia Regional Medical Center are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

“Ben is one of the finest examples of caring, compassionate, competent clinical nursing I’ve seen,” said Marie Burdett, MSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at East Georgia Regional Hospital. “He values quality, patient and family education, and ensures that all of his patients have a positive experience under his care. We are very lucky to have him as part of our team.”