The CON would like to congratulate Johanna Maier, RN, of the University of Colorado Hospital’s Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) for her special recognition by the DAISY Foundation. Maier received the foundation’s Daisy Award on April 18 during a celebration in the MICU. Throughout the year, the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem) Foundation presents the DAISY Award to superhuman nurses who extend extraordinary care to patients and their families.

Maier was nominated for the award by the UCH MICU’s nurse manager Mark Yoder, RN, for the outstanding care and attention she gave to a patient with severe respiratory issues who spent long periods of time in the MICU.

When the patient’s wife informed Maier that their anniversary was approaching, Maier immediately began working on arranging a special dinner for them. She coordinated with Food and Nutrition Services to bring a table and tablecloth to the unit and the patient’s wife prepared a special meal. Although she was not on duty the night of the celebration, Maier reserved the solarium for the couple’s celebration and provided instructions to ensure that it went smoothly.

Other members of the staff assisted with the celebration as well. Yoder says, “With a shirt from home, flowers provided by our [patient services coordinator], and the support of our nursing staff, this couple was able to share a special moment together even under the less than desirable circumstances created by his hospitalization.”

Despite the fact that the patient passed away shortly before Christmas, Yoder feels that Johanna’s efforts to help the couple celebrate their anniversary were greatly appreciated and left a lasting impression.

The award ceremony was attended by Associate Chief Nursing Officer Cathleen Ehrenfeucht, RN, MS, Yoder, and some of Maier’s colleagues from the MICU. The foundation presented her with a certificate and a small, hand-carved serpentine statue entitled “A Healer’s Touch,” which the foundation imports from Zimbabwe.