SVHC Announces DAISY Award Winner

BENNINGTON, VT—June 14, 2020—Kaitlyn Daniels, BSN, RN, of the Women’s and Children’s Unit, was May’s recipient of Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

“Kaitlin has forged an extraordinary bond with the patients who nominated her,” said Pamela Duchene, PhD, APRN, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer. “It is a pleasure to honor her for her skillful nursing and her deeply compassionate care.”

Duchene presented the award during a surprise presentation on the Women’s and Children’s Unit at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC).

Daniels was nominated by two families, both of whom experienced distress during labor and delivery.

The husband of one patient wrote, “[Kaitlyn] was positive the whole time and helped my wife tremendously and with great kindness… I hope if we have future kids, Kaitlin is our nurse.”

The second patient noted, “[Kaitlyn] handled everything calmly and smoothly… I honestly don’t think I could have done it without her positive attitude and her being there every step of the way… She is simply an amazing nurse.”

Daniels received her bachelor’s in nursing from Southern Vermont College, where she received several honors including the Vermont State Nursing Association Clinical Excellence Award. She has worked as a registered Nurse at Rutland Regional Medical Center and as an Emergency medical Technician for the Bennington Rescue Squad. She lives in Bennington.

“I feel honored that patients recognized me for my nursing care,” said Daniels said.

The DAISY Award is part of a national merit-based recognition program established by the DAISY Foundation. It celebrates nurses’ education, training, and skill. Nominations can be submitted by patients, families, physicians, and colleagues. All nominations are blinded, so that they are anonymous before being reviewed by a selection committee. One nurse is then chosen as the DAISY Award winner. DAISY Awards are presented on a regular basis, usually bi-monthly or quarterly.

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) 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. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care 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. SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. It has also received the highest marks possible from the Leapfrog Group. 

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center 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.