ER nurse honored for excellence
SOMERSET, Pa. – Debra Lasota was just doing her job as an emergency department nurse at UPMC Somerset, but to one patient it was an award-winning performance.
The patient described the experience to another hospital employee, who nominated Lasota for the DAISY Foundation award for outstanding service.
“Deb’s care made him feel safe,” the co-worker wrote in the nomination.
“She made sure his bed was clean, medications were given and treatment completed. She never compromised his privacy, and no matter how busy, she made sure he was cleaned up,” the co-worker wrote. “Every nurse should care for patients like this. She is a true angel.”
Lasota’s dedication and compassion was already recognized by David Bertoty, chief nursing officer and vice president, Patient Care Services at UPMC Somerset.
“Deb is the epitome of an extraordinary nurse, and I am thrilled we had the opportunity to recognize her contributions by presenting her with UPMC Somerset’s first DAISY Award,” he said.
“She has been a nurse at UPMC Somerset for 32 years and has a long history of delivering exceptional nursing care, while also being an outstanding co-worker.”
The DAISY award is a worldwide recognition program, established by the DAISY Foundation, to celebrate and recognize nurses by collecting nominations from patients, families and co-workers.
The foundation’s name is an acronym for “disease attacking the immune system.” The foundation was established in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes after he died from complications of an autoimmune disease at the age of 33.
Each DAISY award honoree is given a DAISY Award pin, a certificate of honor and a stone sculpture titled, “A Healer’s Touch,” handcrafted by a tribe in Zimbabwe.
