Franciscan Health honors extraordinary nurse

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields recognized Paul G. Cruz, RN, as its latest DAISY Award recipient. This national recognition is presented to registered nurses who make exceptional contributions to their hospital’s patients and team members.

A registered nurse in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for more than four years, Cruz was nominated by the son of a Franciscan Health Olympia Fields hospital patient, who credited the Mokena resident for demonstrating outstanding attention to detail.

“Paul is very helpful to my mother’s needs. I also asked Paul about something I did not understand from my mother’s EEG and he immeditately put the results of the test on the computer screen and explained the results to me. This was outstanding.” He continued, “Paul shows excellent leadership skills and never refused or brushed my requests off. Thank you so much, Paul for caring, understanding and your professionalism.”

Franciscan Health salutes nurses like Paul Cruz who deliver extraordinary, compassionate, and skillful care. As part of this recognition, he received a DAISY award pin, the Healer's Touch sculpture, a DAISY Award certificate, and a box of Cinnabon cinnamon rolls to share with coworkers. Funding for the DAISY Award is provided by the Franciscan Health Foundation.

About the DAISY Award

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is an internationally recognized honor that was established in 1999 via the DAISY Foundation members of the family of Patrick Barnes. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. Patrick Barnes was a 33-year-old husband and father of an infant daughter who died eight weeks after being diagnosed with the autoimmune disease idiopathic thrombocytopenia. The award was established to honor what his family perceived to be extraordinary kindness and compassion by the nurses caring for him during his illness. Cinnabon’s are given to the winners because when Patrick was too ill to have an appetite, at one point he was able to eat a Cinnabon his father had brought, and Patrick requested that Cinnabon’s be brought in the next day for not just him, but for the nurses as a thank you for their care. More information about the DAISY award can be found at https://www.daisyfoundation.org .

Submitted by Robyn Ali, Marketing Specialist, Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Marketing and Public Relations Department robyn.ali@franciscanalliance.org