Beaufort Memorial Honors Nurse Taylor Robinson with DAISY Award
May 25, 2023
Nursing is one of the most noble pursuits in medicine and an exceptional registered nurse at Beaufort Memorial has earned The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, a prestigious international honor reserved for registered nurses who demonstrate extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care for patients and their families.
Taylor Robinson, MSN, RN-APN, a veteran nurse who takes great care in ensuring the comfort of her patients, received The DAISY Award May 24 in a small surprise ceremony with hospital leadership and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) colleagues.
Robinson spearheaded the implementation of a new Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) in the ICU.
“The CPOT is used to help nurses and clinical staff assess pain of patients in the ICU who are on a ventilator or otherwise unable to report their pain,” explained clinical pharmacist Brian Oyler, who worked with Robinson on the implementation at Beaufort Memorial and nominated Robinson for The DAISY Award.
The CPOT allows adjustments to be made to the patient’s pain control medications to ensure they remain comfortable throughout their recovery.
“Taylor was instrumental in the development and roll out of this protocol,” said Oyler. “She spent her own time learning the assessment tool and volunteered to be the department champion. She then educated the department staff on the importance of this new tool, how to successfully use it and why it makes a difference in the care of our patients.”
During the award presentation, Robinson, with her fiancé Adam Kajfez at her side, received “A Healer’s Touch” hand-carved sculpture, along with a bouquet of daisies.
“It was a huge surprise and I’m still in awe,” she said. “It was very special. I started crying when Brian started talking during the award ceremony, just hearing those kind words and knowing that people do appreciate all the work our nurses do.”
While Taylor’s dedicated efforts in helping to roll out the new tool might have won her The DAISY Award, it is her dedication to her patients that has made Robinson a star in the ICU and beyond.
“Taylor returned during the busiest times of COVID and has been a great asset ever since,” said Director of Critical Care Colleen Duerr, MBA, BSN, RN. “She is seen by her peers as an exceptional nurse, a great mentor and a strong patient advocate. Taylor loves to be involved in projects that can improve patient care.”
“She never hesitates to jump in when a coworker or a patient is in need,” added Oyler. “She is a great resource to everyone.”
Created in 1999 by a Seattle couple as a way to honor the nurses who took care of their dying son, The DAISY Award has since been adopted by healthcare facilities all over the world.
Anyone can nominate a Beaufort Memorial nurse for the honor. Applications are available throughout the hospital and at BeaufortMemorial.org/Daisy.