LOWELL, MAAshley Goulet, RN a Pediatric Nurse at Lowell CHC,  was surprised by her colleagues and honored with The DAISY Award® For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s programs nationwide to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day.

“Ashley epitomizes what the Daisy Awards are all about,” said Elizabeth Hale, Lowell Community Health Center’s Chief Clinical Officer. “Day in and day out Ashley provides extraordinary care for our community’s pediatric patients, all while supporting the colleagues that surround her. Congratulations to Ashley for becoming Lowell Community Health Center’s first annual Daisy Award recipient.”

Admitting she was a bit overwhelmed by the honor, Ashley, who joined Lowell Community Health Center three years ago said, “I care a lot for the people in this city. I’m from Dracut and I spent a lot of time in the Emergency Department at Lowell General doing registration and reception, and that’s when I decided to go back to school for nursing – because I saw what was going on and I wanted to do more… whatever I can do – I just want to do.”

The colleagues who nominated Ashley had this to say:

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes.  Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease.  The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, Doctor of Humane Letters and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, “When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do.  The kind of work the nurses at Lowell Community Health Centerare called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

For a complete listing of healthcare organizations currently running the program, please go to http://DAISYfoundation.org

In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to

the nursing profession internationally in over 5,000 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition of Nurse-led Teams, Nurse Leaders, Nurses Advancing Health Equity,

Nursing Faculty, Nursing Students, Lifetime Achievement in Nursing and through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, Medical Mission Grants and their new Health Equity Grant programs. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.