Memorial Medical Center Registered Nurse, Brenda Eder, BSN, RN was recently presented with a DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses, recognizing the wonderful care she provides. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s program that honors nurses for the compassionate care they provide to their patients and families every day. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses has been adopted by over 5,400 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing in all 50 states and 35 other countries and territories to honor nurses for their extraordinary care and compassion.

Brenda is a nurse on the Patient Care Unit of the hospital and was nominated by the wife of a patient who she cared for. In the nomination letter Brenda was recognized especially for the caring way that she communicated with the patient and his family. “Brenda explained exactly what and why everything was being done,” said the nominator. “She put all of our questions to rest. This was a life-changing event and because of her we were able to handle it with ease and knowledge.”

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, 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.