Plattsburgh, NY – When Alexandria Stefaniak carried her four-year-old son into the Emergency Department at University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital, fear filled the air. Her little boy, who is autistic, had always been afraid of hospitals. Stefaniak expected tears, panic and heartbreak.

Instead, a group of nurses transformed that moment of fear into one of courage and comfort. Stefaniak says Katie Totten, RN and Hailey McLaughlin, RN went beyond excellent clinical care of her child, giving him hope and his family peace. She remembers them speaking gently to him, explaining every step and making sure he felt safe. Stefaniak says they felt like family.

“They went above and beyond words can even express,” Stefaniak writes in her nomination of the nurses for the DAISY Team Award at the hospital. “They made him feel comfortable and gave him the best experience. This resulted in him not being afraid of the hospital anymore. He was the bravest boy I have ever seen him be.”

Totten and McLaughlin weren’t alone. Lysandra Barney, RN and Courtney Coon, RN played an equally vital role. They purchased Hot Wheels cars to turn anxiety into curiosity.

“Courtney and Lysandra showed remarkable compassion by using simple objects to spark curiosity and comfort,” says Michael Wells, BSN, RN, nurse manager in the Emergency Department. “Their creativity helped a young patient shift his focus from fear to fun, building trust in a moment that mattered most.”

Stefaniak adds this was life-changing for a child who had always dreaded medical visits. She noticed the nurses didn’t rush, watching them connect, laugh and celebrate his bravery. “It not only meant the world to him but for both of us as parents as well,” Stefaniak shares. She adds that by the time they left, her son was calm and proud. She says he faced his fears and came out stronger, thanks to four nurses who understood that care is about more than medicine.

Stefaniak believes her son will remember these nurses for a long time. So will she. “I am so grateful for them,” she writes. “They made a difference for my son, and for me.”

The nurses were presented with the DAISY Team Award during a surprise ceremony with their Emergency Department colleagues. During the award presentation, they received a certificate commending them as extraordinary nurses. They, 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.