Solving a communication issue can play a significant role in how patients feel while they are receiving care in the hospital. Marlee Jones, a registered nurse at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center, has been recognized for her ability to overcome a language barrier to make a patient more comfortable.
Jones has been named a DAISY winner. The award honors beside nurses who provide outstanding care.
“The first time this nurse cared for this patient, her caring heart went to work, and she did what she does best: give the most outstanding care, patience and love.” Those words are from the teammate who nominated Jones. “Before her intervention, I heard the patient frequently shouting and getting very agitated. I noticed a huge difference in him once she had a couple of days with the patient.
“This nurse spent much time sitting bedside with the patient while working on her laptop to ensure he didn’t feel alone,” the nomination continued. “She went the extra mile to get the patient an iPad so he could listen to music and watch movies in his native language. Afterward, he was like an entirely different patient, calm and smiling when I entered his room.”
“The hospital can be frightening for a patient when they can’t communicate their wishes,” said Sheila Bennett, senior vice president and chief of patient services at Floyd, who presented the award to Jones. “This award today emphasizes how important it is to really see patients, to see their needs. Because they are all individuals.”
Jones, a Pepperell High School and Georgia Highlands College graduate, was surprised by the honor. She has been at Floyd for 2 years.
“It means a lot to me because I really put in a lot of effort. I just love taking care of my patients,” Jones said.
The family of Patrick Barnes established the DAISY Award after he died from an autoimmune disease while being treated in a Seattle hospital.
Bennett presented Jones with a DAISY pin and a sculpture entitled “A Healer’s Touch.” The DAISY sculptures are hand-carved for the DAISY Foundation by members of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.
Jones and her teammates were also given cinnamon buns, a DAISY tradition because it was one of the few things Barnes could eat while he was hospitalized.
