Plattsburgh, NY – For Patricia Johnson’s son, it started with a simple fear – one many people can relate to. The sight of an IV needle was enough to trigger overwhelming anxiety for him.

Years of medical interventions meant an IV wasn’t just a step in a medical process. It was a source of fear. When he arrived for a procedure at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, Jesse Murnane, RN, understood building trust would be critical.

Going Beyond Clinical Care

“They hit it off immediately,” Johnson recalls. “She advocated for him to receive some oral medication to calm him before starting an IV. It worked wonders!”

That first encounter left a lasting impression. Later, fate brought Murnane back into their lives when Johnson’s son needed another procedure. Murnane’s familiar face and sense of humor helped ease his fears all over again.

“She made sure the oral medication was ordered and stayed with him to be sure he was relaxed enough to get his IV,” Johnson says. “The pre-op experience was stress-free for him.”

Giving the Patient Time 

For Johnson, who has fought for compassionate, patient-centered care for her son for 37 years, Murnane’s approach was extraordinary. She didn’t rush. She didn’t push. Instead, she gave him time to find the right words and acclimate to everything happening around him.

“My son wasn’t treated like a procedure to be expedited,” she shares. “He was treated like a human being who mattered. Thank you, Jesse!”

Recognizing Extraordinary Nurses

For her commitment to dignity and personalized care, Murnane was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses during a surprise ceremony with her Interventional Radiology colleagues. During the award presentation, she received a certificate commending her as an extraordinary nurse. Murnane, like all honorees, also received a DAISY Award pin.

Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital launched the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in 2018 to recognize and reward licensed nurses for making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients. Nomination forms and boxes are located at each of the hospital’s main entrances and online at UVMHealth.org. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues.  A committee reviews nominations and awards a deserving nurse each quarter.

The 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 Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System). The care Patrick and his family received from nurses 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 DAISYfoundation.org.

University of Vermont Health – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital
75 Beekman Street
Plattsburgh, NY 12901

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About Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital 

University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital is a 300-bed level III trauma center trusted by 87,000 people across New York’s North Country. Our staff are committed to delivering care with skill, compassion and respect — supporting patients, families and the communities we call home. As part of a rural academic health system, Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital combines high-quality, community-based care with medical innovation and research to bring advanced treatment as close to home as possible. Together, we’re addressing health care’s toughest challenges while working alongside partners and neighbors to improve access, affordability and outcomes for our region.

About University of Vermont Health Network

University of Vermont Health Network is a rural academic health system with more than 100 years of service to small towns and cities across Vermont and northern New York. We are deeply committed to reimagining rural health in ways that will benefit our communities for generations to come and keep exceptional care close to home. Our system includes an academic medical center, two community hospitals, three critical access hospitals, a children’s hospital, a cancer center, a multispecialty medical group, 154 outpatient sites and care beyond the hospital through home health, hospice care, four skilled nursing facilities and other support services. Our care is informed by an essential partnership with University of Vermont’s The Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Together, as a health system serving a rural area, we are tackling health care’s biggest challenges — supporting the communities we serve and investing in our employees by addressing housing affordability, quality childcare and professional development needs. To learn more, visit us at www.uvmhealth.org.