The DAISY Foundation is celebrating four amazing nurses whose work exemplifies how to provide the best, safest, and most humane care to all patients.
They not only advocate for nursing ethics in practice and leadership, but they also implement strategies and initiatives that address the many moral and ethical questions and situations that arise in healthcare. Here are their stories.
The Nursing Ethics Award recipients
During a recent DAISY Foundation webinar on ethics with Pathway to Excellence, Jayme Ching, MSN, RN, APRN-CNP, from the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada (UMC), shared how she became involved in raising awareness and role-modeling the importance of human values and connection in healthcare practice.
One example is how a particular patient opened her eyes to a specific need in patient care.
“This particular (human trafficking) incident really stuck with me,” Ching said. “How often does this happen and how often do we miss it? There was nothing about her in any way that looked different from other patients. She wore jeans and a sweatshirt and had asthma. She could’ve been any one of our family members. It just really got me thinking.”
Ching received a DAISY Award for Nursing Ethics for putting ethics into action — namely collaborating with UMC clinicians and community representatives to develop a comprehensive program for identifying victims of human trafficking and supporting them.
On the webinar, Ching was joined by Karen Garvey, MPA/HCA, BSN, RN, Vice President of Safety & Clinical Risk Management at Parkland Health in Dallas, Texas, who was also honored with the award.
Garvey also received this recognition for her efforts around workforce safety, which include:
- Implementing new policies
- Creating a workforce safety program
- Lobbying at the Texas State Capitol regarding workplace violence
- Adding a meditation room for hospital staff to decompress
- Instituting care packages for staff who experienced workplace violence
Garvey’s nomination described her as a “strong collaborator” on an internal peer program called SPARKS (Supporting PARKland Staff) in which employee volunteers provide confidential support to Parkland employees who experience stressful, patient-related events, such as workplace violence, medical errors, or sudden patient deaths.
This is important work that The DAISY Foundation is excited to celebrate. For the last 18 months, many DAISY healthcare partners have implemented the Ethics Award as a part of their ongoing recognition programs. Recently, in collaboration with the American Nurses Association, we elevated the visibility of ethics in nursing to a national stage and honored clinicians and leaders by launching the annual DAISY Awards for Ethics in Nursing Practice and Leadership.
The Ethics in Nursing Practice and Leadership Award recipients
Lisa Wall, PhD, RN, CNS, AOCNS, HEC-C, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Ethics Consultant at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, in New York, New York, and Lori Raffaniello, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Administrative Director of Family Medicine at Mount Sinai South Nassau, in Oceanside, New York, were selected as the inaugural recipients of this award.
It recognizes nurses whose leadership, compassion, and clinical practice demonstrate the importance of human values and ethics in nursing.
Wall, described by peers as a “pioneer of ethics,” has made numerous contributions to ethical awareness and ethical decision making, including:
- Publishing multiple articles about ethical issues
- Creating an undergraduate ethics curriculum
- Collaborating with other disciplines to protect patient rights and articulate respect, dignity, and worthiness
Her nomination also detailed her exemplary qualities that facilitate candid communication, particularly when confronting complex medical issues. It also pointed out her fierce advocacy on behalf of a young woman with a mild intellectual disability who struggled with decision making for her toddler.
Lori Raffaniello’s nomination detailed her unwavering commitment to the safe and ethical care of patients, staff, and the community. It stated that she always provides a safe and non-judgmental environment for staff to voice concerns.
She was described as a mentor and role model who embodies the principle of Relationship-Centered Care.
As the co-chair for her organization’s ethics committee for over 15 years, Raffaniello has guided her team in honest ethical practice, effectively collaborating with interdisciplinary team members.
She also maintains a strong linkage with clinical nurses, encouraging them to bring their ethical or morally distressing concerns forward for discussion, get involved, and join the ethics committee.
She is passionate about the impact of organ donation on families and has implemented plans to improve family and staff comfort with these difficult decisions. Two very worthy recipients!
Jayme Ching, Lisa Wall, Karen Garvey, and Lori Raffaniello are all dedicated to providing optimal patient care, advocating for their colleagues' well-being, and demonstrating the significance of ethics in nursing.
The DAISY Foundation is proud to celebrate and honor their exceptional work. We hope their stories will continue to raise awareness about the critical role of ethics in healthcare and the importance of meaningful recognition.
