DAISY Award for November recognizes nurse’s kind, watchful care for pre-surgery patient
Dec. 11, 2025 -- A patient arrived for foot surgery at Reid Outpatient Surgery and Endoscopy (ROSE) when their nurse noticed their labored breathing during intake, something the patient shared they'd been struggling with for months.
The nurse
quickly notified the physician, pausing the procedure, and continued to stay
with the patient and their family to provide comfort during the unexpected
change in plans.
In recognition
of her extraordinary care, Debbie Bell, PRN-RN, for ROSE, has been named Reid
Health's DAISY Award recipient for November.
Reid's program
is part of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary,
compassionate care nurses provide patients and families every day.
Nominations for
the DAISY Award can be submitted by patients, family members, colleagues, and
community members. A committee of colleagues selects the recipient during a
blind review process.
Bell was
nominated by her patient for her compassionate care following a scheduled
surgery with Brandon Baker, DPM, for Reid Podiatry.
In their
nomination, the patient wrote Bell noticed their struggle to breathe and that
she immediately placed them on oxygen.
"My breathing
has been labored for quite some time with little improvement," the patient wrote.
"Meantime, she
is emailing the doctor in surgery (to tell him) there is a real problem and she
doesn't think maybe this is the day (for the surgery) with my vitals.
"She insisted the
people who were waiting on her to complete her intake would wait until the doctor
himself could see me, and he informed my waiting daughter and sister I might
be getting some unexpected news before they came in the room."
Bell knew her
patient and family members were scared and wanted to be there for them. While
they waited, she listened as they talked.
"I just thought if that was one of my family members or
myself, I would want someone to stay there if I were that scared," Bell said.
"Sometimes our patients just need the extra. They need
another person to listen just to get through."
Dr. Baker — along
with the anesthesiologist — agreed the surgery would need to be postponed and
additional care provided.
"I'm so
thankful Debbie was so kind and watchful," the patient wrote.
Once the
patient left ROSE, Bell's care continued.
"They admitted me, and she took me to the ER herself and made sure things were on track with the ER group. People don't get 'job well done' enough, but I wanted to highlight Debbie because she was an angel to me and my family," the patient wrote.
Anna
Osborn-Brown, Senior
Director of Nursing at Reid, said Bell's compassion for her patient and family
reflects the culture the nursing team strives to build.
"Debbie didn't
just provide clinical care, she recognized fear, offered reassurance, and
stayed present for a family in a vulnerable moment," Osborn-Brown said.
Misti
Foust-Cofield, Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer, said Bell's actions
reflect the compassionate, patient-centered care nurses are committed to
providing.
"Debbie was
attentive to her patient, and because she took a moment to look more closely
and listen, she provided valuable information that helped the physician and
anesthesiologist make the safest decision for the patient in that moment,"
Foust-Cofield said.
The DAISY Award
is presented monthly with the nominator, the honoree's colleagues, family
members, and Reid Health leadership in attendance. Each recipient receives a
certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved sculpture known as "The
Healer's Touch," symbolizing the meaningful difference nurses make in the
lives of others.
Bell, an
Indianapolis native, joined Reid's Surgical Services team in October 2020. She's
been a nurse for nearly 43 years, including 30 years in emergency services on the
east side of Indianapolis before joining Reid. She now lives in Hagerstown.
The November
DAISY recognition came with special timing. Bell celebrated her 65th birthday
on Dec. 2. Her daughter, Nellie Mitchell, and son-in-law, Lucas, attended the
presentation.
About the
DAISY Foundation
The DAISY Award is part
of the DAISY Foundation's mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate
nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Award was
established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by members of his family after he
passed away from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a
little known but not uncommon autoimmune disease. The care Patrick and his
family received 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. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.