Elizabeth Hornsey, an emergency services nurse with Olympic Medical Center, was recently honored with a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

The award, created by the DAISY Foundation, recognizes the “extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day,” OMC officials said.

Chief Nursing Officer Vickie Swanson and director of emergency services Aaron Possin presented Hornsey with the honor.

“Liz has been and exceptional RN in the emergency department since 2019,” Possin said. “She provides compassionate, patient-centered care and regularly goes out of her way to ensure each patient is safe and feels comfortable. She promotes best practice in the department and is a mentor to new nursing staff.”

A recent patient nominated Hornsey for the DAISY award, writing: “I came into the ER horrified due to my situation and was calmed down very quickly and sincerely by my nurse. I was scared of the IV because I’ve had a lot of painful ones put in before, but she put it in so well I hardly even felt it. She made sure to talk me through it, and she distracted me with such meaningful conversation that it even made me stop crying. I was embarrassed, but she kept assuring me everyone has days like this, and she and the whole department were there for me. She came in constantly to check on me, making sure I felt comfortable and not afraid or nervous.

“The ER was busy and I could hear her in the hall working hard to help the other nurses and patients. I saw her zipping back and forth. I could see there was not enough staff and yet there she was, checking on me.

My experience made me truly appreciate how important our nurses are and how much we need them. There are so many amazing people there, but this is the first time I’ve felt compelled to make sure someone is recognized as someone who honestly cares and makes sure everyone feels safe and comfortable. I’m so grateful she was my nurse. I’m doing my best to make sure I don’t end up at the ER again, but if I did need to come back, I would hope she would be my nurse again. I am so grateful to her!”

Olympic Medical nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. 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 hand-carved sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch.” A cross-functional committee of healthcare workers review the nominations and select the final nominee.

For more information or to nominate an extraordinary Olympic Medical Center nurse, visit olympicmedical.org/thank-a-nurse. For more about the not-for-profit DAISY Foundation, visit DAISYfoundation.org.

The DAISY Foundation is an organization established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Barnes died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of an auto-immune 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 means of thanking nurses for making a difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.