UT Health Tyler nurse receives DAISY Award
Tyler, Texas (April 16, 2024) — Felipe Barrera, RN, received the DAISY Award for outstanding patient care at UT Health Tyler.
Barrera, who works on a medical surgical unit that cares for cardiac patients on telemetry, received the nomination from a patient’s family member, who described him as a genuine and compassionate caregiver who was always approachable and considerate of their needs.
The nomination noted how after the patient developed an irregular heart pattern, Barrera kept vigilant watch throughout the night and then stopped by at the end of his shift to make sure the family was informed about the issue and knew how to explain any concerns they had.
“It is my opinion that some may have ended their shift and considered they had done their job and left it to chance and leaving it unresolved. The compassion and ethics Felipe displayed for my father are appreciated more than he will know,” the nomination read. “More than physical caring for my dad, I believe he displayed a character trait that we thought had diminished. Thank you, Felipe!”
As a winner of the DAISY Award, Barrera received a certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe. Awards are presented throughout the year at celebrations attended by the honoree’s colleagues, patients and visitors.
The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 at age 33 from complications of an autoimmune disease (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Barnes 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. Today, this program has been implemented in more the 1,900 healthcare facilities, including UT Health East Texas.
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About UT Health East Texas
UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes 10 hospitals, more than 80 clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services covering 41 counties, an EMS fleet of more than 50 ambulances and four helicopters, and a comprehensive seven-trauma center care network, including the region’s only Level 1 trauma facility.
As a partner with The University of Texas System, UT Health East Texas is uniquely positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies while training and educating the next generation of physicians and other health professionals. The nationally recognized UT System also includes The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, as well as three other major university medical centers located throughout the state.
