Brenda Garlington, RN, has received the DAISY award, which is the highest nursing award at Conway Regional Health System, for consistently “going the extra mile” for her patients and co-workers.  

The DAISY award, which recognizes registered nurses for providing exemplary care, is voted on every two months by the health system’s Patient Care Governing Congress based on an anonymous nomination and selection process. Winners of the award at Conway Regional are also nominated for national recognition through the international DAISY program. 

Brenda is the nurse manager for Imaging Services and a 15-year employee at Conway Regional. The nomination by a co-worker praised Brenda for her help in providing advice and care to a home health patient who was weather-bound and unable to receive traditional care and dressing changes. “I called Brenda Garlington to ask how to direct this patient, she talked with the radiologist, and within five minutes the patient was taken care of,” the nomination read. “The patient was taken care of quickly easing the patient’s anxiety and without the patient having to wait for days.” 

The co-worker added, “She shows compassion daily through her work with patients and staff. She is always willing to go the extra mile to make sure patients are cared for without delay.” 

Conway Regional has been awarding the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) since January of 2017. The awards are part of a national nursing recognition program that honors J. Patrick Barnes, a patient who died from complications of an autoimmune disease in 1999. The DAISY Award was set up by Barnes’ family to publicly recognize nurses who show great compassion and provide exemplary care.  

All nominations are confidential and award recipients are chosen based on the patient care story submitted. Nomination forms are available throughout the medical center and online at www.conwayregional.org/daisy-award-nomination-form