Hickenbottom Receives Nursing Award

(HSHS ST. ANTHONY'S MEMORIAL HOSPITAL PRESIDENT AND C-E-O THERESA RUTHERFORD AND HOSPITAL CHIEF NURSING OFFICER KELLY SAGER FLANK AWARD RECIPIENT LAURA HICKENBOTTOM)

HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital recently awarded Laura Hickenbottom, NPP-BC, with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®. Hickenbottom has served as the neonatal nurse practitioner for the Women and Children’s Care department since 2016. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the nursing care they provide patients and families every day. 

Hickenbottom received multiple nominations from colleagues and physicians for her nursing expertise (especially in critical situations), communication skills, instructional capabilities and compassionate care. A fellow colleague outlined in her nomination how Hickenbottom has been a wonderful addition to St. Anthony’s Women and Infants Center. The nomination shared, “She is great in crisis situation, stays calm, gives specific instructions and explains thoroughly information to not only nurses but the families as well. She helps everyone through each process/situation explaining and sharing her knowledge from prenatal levels II’s, debriefs, etc.” Another colleague nomination read, “Our [premature] babies are in very good hands here with her.  Her ability to make quick, life-saving decisions has made a big impact on the positive outcomes to many early babies. And her ability to explain and inform parents about their baby is wonderful. Her knowledge only makes our team better.”

Hickenbottom shared what it meant to her to be named the first DAISY Award winner at St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital. “I feel very honored to receive this award. I work with great team members that place a high value on my role and are so supportive. I am so blessed to be able to do the job I love with wonderful co-workers.”

Including Hickenbottom, a total of 16 dedicated nurses were also recognized for receiving individual nominations for this quarter. These other colleagues included: Jeanie Ray, Britiani Walker and Dawn West (Home Health); Sharon Bauer, Katelyn Chancey and Steve Fulk (Intensive Care Unit); Brittney Crye (Medical Care); Bethany Workman (Medical/Surgical Care); Danee Ebeling, Kelly Pagone and Sue Stephens (Orthopedic Care); Lisa Parkerson and Sara Thoele (Surgery); and Regina Baxter and June Probst (Surgical 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.

Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. The award recipient is chosen by the Reward and Recognition Committee at St. Anthony’s to receive The DAISY Award. 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 and a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

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 St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

Said Chief Nursing Officer Kelly Sager, “It’s important that our nurses know their work is highly valued, and The DAISY Foundation provides a way for us to do that. As an organization, we are extremely proud of our nurses. Nurses are heroes every day. Those we honored here today truly embody our four Core Values of Respect, Care, Competence and Joy in how they care for patients and their families,” she said.                               

Nominations for future DAISY Awards at St. Anthony’s continue to be accepted. Patients and visitors are encouraged to share and submit their story of witnessing excellent and compassionate care from staff. The nomination forms can be downloaded on the home page of the hospital’s web site at stanthonyshospital.org and clicking the DAISY nomination icon. Forms can also be downloaded and emailed to DAISY@hshs.org.

For more information about The DAISY Foundation, visit DAISYfoundation.org.  Information about HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital can be found on the hospital’s web site atstanthonyshospital.org. HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital is part of the Southern Illinois Division of Hospital Sisters Health System, which also includes HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese, HSHS Holy Family Hospital in Greenville, and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland.