Valerie Reyna, RN, honored with prestigious award for extraordinary nurses
Fort Worth – Valerie Reyna, RN, has been honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. She is the eighth recipient at Medical City Fort Worth since the hospital joined the DAISY Foundation's program in 2018 and is the fourth winner of 2019.
Reyna works in the oncology unit at Medical City Fort Worth where she serves as the medical/surgical unit supervisor. She was nominated by her department leader for going above and beyond for a cancer patient who had been hospitalized more than a month. Reyna's nomination letter details how she helped fulfill the patient's wish for a favorite restaurant meal, prepared specially to meet her dietary restrictions. Reyna also shared her own personal time to paint the patient's fingernails, when she voiced regret at being unable to get to a nail salon. When she was finally able to go home, the patient expressed her gratitude to Reyna and the oncology team for their compassionate care.
The nonprofit DAISY Foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died from complications of an autoimmune disease. The care that Barnes and his family received from nurses inspired this appreciation program for nurses. Patients, families and colleagues may nominate nurses. Recipients are selected by a committee of nurses at each hospital participating in the program.