Published: December 13, 2023
CHARLOTTE, MI – Sparrow Eaton Hospital honored a highly skilled nurse with the DAISY Award for her compassionate care, outstanding nursing skills, and always putting patients first.
Surgical Department nurse Kailea Cairns, RN, was named a DAISY Award honoree based on a nomination from a patient for her efficiency and highly skilled care, stating she was kind and helped her to relax during a not-so-relaxing procedure. Cairns has worked at Sparrow Eaton since June 2023, having previously been a patient care technician at E.W. Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. Cairns is Sparrow Eaton’s third-ever recipient of the DAISY award for outstanding nursing.
“I feel so blessed to have been nominated and chosen for this award,” Cairns said. “I strive to be the best version of myself and provide excellent care, so it means a great deal to hear that I am making a positive impact on our patients during surgery.”
The DAISY Foundation was formed in November 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family. After Patrick’s passing, The DAISY Foundation and The DAISY Award (named as an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System) were created to give patients, families and co-workers an easy way to express gratitude for nurses who provide extraordinary, compassionate care.
Kailea Cairns, RN (center) is honored as Sparrow Eaton’s most recent DAISY Award recipient. Attending the ceremony were members of Kailea’s surgical team as well as her leaders, Elizabeth Olszewski, RN, Sparrow Eaton nurse manager of perioperative services (front row, second from right) and Tiffany Friar, RN, DNP, MBA, RHCNOC, Sparrow Eaton Hospital chief nursing officer (back row, second from left).
“Kailea has been an absolute blessing to our Sparrow Eaton team. She is ferociously caring, and always looking to assist her co-workers, or work at process improvement for the department,” said Elizabeth Olszewski, RN, Sparrow Eaton nurse manager of perioperative services.
Cairns signed the travelling DAISY banner – now displayed in the Sparrow Eaton outpatient lobby – and received a DAISY recipient pin, certificate, stone sculpture known as “A Healer’s Touch” hand-carved by artists in Zimbabwe (depicting the embracing relationship nurses have with their patients), a bouquet of daisies and a designated parking spot.
Sparrow Eaton encourages anyone who wants to thank a nurse for the care they receive – or in honor of the care a loved one receives – to nominate them for a DAISY award. Awards are presented twice annually.
For more information or to nominate a nurse, visit Sparrow.org/Daisy.
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Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia and St. John, as well as Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. Sparrow is part of University of Michigan Health. Through the dedication of our 10,000 caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.