Rachel Earp of Wilson Medical Center was recently honored with The DAISY Award® For Extraordinary Nurses. The award is part of the DAISY Foundation's programs to recognize the super-human efforts nurses perform every day. 

Rachel, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Wilson Medical Center, was presented the award on May 6, National Nurses Day. She was nominated by the daughter of one of her ICU patients who passed away last December. The nomination detailed Rachel’s caring and compassionate nature as she held her patient’s hand and sang to him during the final moments of his life.

The nomination submitted read, “After getting to know Rachel – hearing from others how wonderful she is – I can honestly say that I feel peace and comfort knowing she was with [my dad]. Words can’t describe how much she means to me and our family. Wilson Medical Center is blessed to have someone so kind and compassionate as part of the nursing team.”  

Rachel started her career at Wilson Medical Center as a certified nursing assistant in 2016 while attending nursing school. She became a registered nurse in 2018 and worked in telemetry for a short stint before transferring to ICU in late 2019.

The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation is based in Glen Ellen, CA, and was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes. 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. 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.        

Said Bonnie Barnes, FAAN, CEO and Co-Founder of The DAISY Foundation, "When Patrick was critically ill, our family experienced first-hand the remarkable skill and care nurses provide patients every day and night. Yet these unsung heroes are seldom recognized for the super-human work they do. The kind of work the nurses at Wilson Medical Center are called on to do every day epitomizes the purpose of The DAISY Award.”

“Being able to celebrate and recognize Rachel Earp with the Daisy Award defines the compassion and kindness that our nurses provide every day to our patients. During the pandemic, the resilience of these nurses stood strong, and many stepped in to be “family” to our patients. They were truly Healthcare Heroes and Rachel Earp represents Wilson Medical Center with that dedication and strength represented by a DAISY recipient,” said Theresa Dix, Chief Nursing Officer at Wilson Medical Center.

Click here for more information about The DAISY Award, or to nominate a nurse at Wilson Medical Center.