Skyler Hyde, RN, Honored with DAISY Award at Flagler Hospital

St. Augustine, Fla. May 11, 2022 – Skyler Hyde, RN, has been honored as a DAISY Award Recipient at Flagler Hospital it was announced today. He was nominated for providing excellent and compassionate care to a pair of patients and their families during their recent trying times,

The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary, compassionate and skillful care given by nurses every day and is considered among the highest honors in nursing.

Skyler, who is a nurse in Flagler Health+’s Surgical Intensive Care Unit, received two nominations from the families of loved ones who were recently under his care. One nomination was from Sue Stepp, whose loved one was removed from life support. Ms. Stepp explained that Skyler provided great comfort as her family member passed away and she and her other family members were very appreciative of the support Skyler provided in their time of sorrow. “If there is an award of persistence and due diligence, compassion, professionalism, and excellent nursing care in your department well I hope he receives it,” she wrote.

Skyler’s second nomination came from the wife of a patient who was admitted to ICU while visiting St. Augustine. Skyler was able to keep the patient’s wife informed of her husband’s status as she traveled to be with her husband. “[Skyler] has encouraged my husband during very emotional moments and has never come across as uncaring, even at his busiest. During this challenging and traumatic time, he has been a blessing a source of comfort and we will never be able to forget him,” she wrote.

These two nominations were among the 53 that were submitted by patients, their families and Flagler Health+ employees and then reviewed by Flagler Health+’s DAISY Committee. This committee ultimately determined that Skyler would be the honoree.

“The nurses at Flagler Hospital make a lasting impact on the patients and families that they provide care for on a daily basis,” said Carlton DeVooght, President and CEO of Flagler Health+. “Skyler is a fitting, and well-deserved recipient of the DAISY Award. His level of care and willingness to exceed expectations has made a tremendous difference in the lives of many and we are sincerely grateful.”

“This is a really a huge honor and I am overwhelmed” said Skyler. “My manager had been telling us about the significance of the DAISY Award, but I had no idea about the degree of importance. We don’t do this for the recognition, but it is really nice to know that our patients know how much we care.”

In recognition of this honor, Skyler received a stone-carved “Healers Touch” trophy, a DAISY winner’s pin and a gift basket.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is part of The DAISY (D)iseases Attacking the Immune System Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses make every day. The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation, based in Glen Ellen, Calif., was established by J. Mark Barnes and his family in memory of his son J. Patrick Barnes. J. Patrick died at the age of 33 in 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (IT)P, a little-known autoimmune disease. The nursing 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 families.