Nurse preceptor honored, called a 'credit to the career'

A nurse preceptor in Southwestern Vermont Medical Center’s (SVMC) Medical-Surgical Unit was honored recently for the compassionate care provided to a patient with Alzheimer’s disease.

Brittany Priggen, RN, was presented with a DAISY Award in late August. The DAISY Award is an international recognition program honoring clinical excellence and outstanding compassionate care provided by nurses.

Priggen works in SVMC’s Medical-Surgical Unit, where patients are recovering from surgeries, illnesses and injuries. She was nominated by the family of a patient with Alzheimer's, who was being treated for an injury.

“She engaged [the patient] completely and recognized and validated her as a whole person, and put us all at ease” the nominator wrote. “She is a credit to the career and is caring and compassionate beyond. [The patient] is a former RN herself and she was treated with the dignity she deserves.”

Priggen was hailed for “having a plan” and for guiding the family through difficult discussions.

“God bless nurses like her,” the nominator wrote.

As a nurse preceptor Priggen also helps train new RNs using evidence-based practices. 

###

About SVMC:

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), a member of Dartmouth Health, is a comprehensive, preeminent, health care system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVMC includes the Dartmouth Cancer Center at SVMC, the SVHC Foundation, as well as 25 primary and specialty care practices. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. SVMC provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.