Vidant Beaufort Hospital is proud to announce that emergency department nurse Helen Brinn has been named a recipient of the DAISY Award.

The DAISY Award recognizes extraordinary nurses who demonstrate the attributes of an exceptional professional such as compassion, teamwork, persistent patient advocacy, community awareness, timely, informative and therapeutic communication and consistent adherence to the highest clinical and ethical standards of the nursing profession.

Brinn has been in nursing since graduating from Beaufort County Community College in 1981 and has been at Vidant Beaufort Hospital for 25 years, primarily in the hospital’s emergency department. Brinn was nominated by fellow nurse and colleague, Leanne Fulcher. In the nomination, Leanne applauded Helen for utilizing her nursing skills outside of a medical facility as she recognized an emergency out in the community and never hesitated to put her skills to use.

“Helen was on the sidewalk outside a store in downtown Washington when a car careened off the street striking another vehicle. The driver was slumped over the steering wheel. It was reported by bystanders that Helen never hesitated but went to render care to the driver recognizing he was unresponsive, pulseless and apneic. With assistance, the driver was placed on the ground and CPR was initiated. Helen stayed with the victim continuing to render her knowledge and skills even when EMS arrived. Helen, along with a couple of other bystanders never wavered from providing care giving this person the chance for life,” the nomination read.

Brinn was presented the award by Lou Montana-Rhodes, vice president of patient care services at Vidant Beaufort Hospital, as she was surrounded by hospital leadership and her peers.

“I am so humbled and honored to receive this award,” Brinn said. “I can think of so many people that I would give this award to. The team members that I work with are amazing and always available to help out, we recognize that we can’t do it by ourselves.”

Daniele Davis, interim nurse manager for the emergency department at Vidant Beaufort, describes Helen as a mentor and an inspiration to the many nurses that cross her path.

“Her spirit is amazing, her compassion shines and it shows in how she cares for her patients every day,” Davis said.

Vidant Health recognizes DAISY Award winners each quarter. Each nurse that is chosen for the award is recognized in a public ceremony and receives a hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture known as A Healer’s Touch, cinnamon rolls and a DAISY pin. They also sign a recognition banner that is publicly displayed in their unit for the quarter.

The DAISY Foundation was co-founded in 1999 by Tena and Bonnie Barnes in memory of their husband and son, Patrick Barnes. During his illness and subsequent death at the young age of 33, Patrick’s family witnessed the incredibly compassionate care of the nurses who cared for him. To honor Patrick’s memory, the Barnes family knew that first and foremost, they needed to say “Thank you” for the gifts nurses give their patients and families every day, so they created the DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses. An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, the DAISY Foundation is now an international program recognizing clinical expertise and compassion. Learn more at www.daisyfoundation.org.