Kim McAlonan, RN, Named NFH DAISY Award Winning Nurse for March
Leaders and staff at North Fulton Hospital happily presented Kim McAlonan, RN, with the DAISY Award for Nursing this past Friday, April 1, in a moving ceremony. McAlonan was selected for this honor following nominations submitted by her patients.
A nurse with 31 years of experience, Kim McAlonan is originally from New Jersey. She has worked for 24 years on the Surgical Unit at North Fulton and has spent the most recent five years of her tenure as a charge nurse. Her supervisors and peers know her well as a nurse dedicated to helping families feel comfortable, carefully explaining to them the diagnosis and treatment plans for their loved ones.
“Regardless of how busy Kim gets, she is able to make the patient and their loved ones feel special – like family,” said Cindy Bhatia, Director of Surgical Nursing at North Fulton Hospital. “She shows compassion, which is the art of nursing.”
Each month since October 2010, North Fulton Hospital has honored outstanding nurses who consistently and without fail go above and beyond what is expected of them. NFH is happy to honor McAlonan for the month of February. She is a valued nurse on the Unit at North Fulton Hospital.
One patient wrote:
Kim was there for us every step of the way; very sweet and very helpful! She was very welcoming when Tim came up from surgery. She was extremely pleasant, always happy, always had a smile on her face, and her personality definitely transferred to Tim. They say “Laughter is the best medicine,” and Kim and Tim shared jokes and stories as she took care of his needs. She was incredible with him. Kim was very confident in nursing abilities and efficient in all the tasks she did for us. She made sure we knew how to contact her, and when we did, Kim made us feel like we were her only patient. When we used the phone to call (love this feature), Kim always picked up and never made us feel like we were rushed or imposing! Kim always asked what she could do additionally before she left the room every time, and you have no idea how that made us feel! She is definitely a DAISY nurse!
NFH Chief Nursing Officer Stuart Downs presented McAlonan with the DAISY Award. The ceremony that followed honored her for her dedication and her service, and for all that she does to ensure that each patient, such as the patient described above, receives the best care possible.
North Fulton Hospital is proud to have nurses like Kim McAlonan working in every area of the facility. The care they provide goes beyond what is expected in a hospital setting. Instead of simply treating patients for their physical needs, these nurses treat their patients as if they were their own family members, tending to their mental and emotional needs as well. The hospital will continue to recognize these phenomenal nurses for the work that they do every day.
About the DAISY Foundation
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.
Each month, a nurse will be selected to receive The DAISY Award from nominations received from patients, their families, physicians, and colleagues. The honoree will receive a certificate commending her or him for being an "Extraordinary Nurse." The certificate reads: "In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people." The honoree will also be given a beautiful and meaningful sculpture called A Healer’s Touch, hand-carved by artists of the Shona Tribe in Africa.
The DAISY Award winning nurses will also enjoy tasty Cinnabon treats. One day while Patrick was in the hospital, he asked his family to bring him a Cinnabon cinnamon roll plus enough for all the nurses in his unit. With the help of Cinnabon’s parent company, FOCUS Brands, The DAISY Foundation carries on this tradition by serving Cinnabons to all the nurses in the Award recipient’s unit in thanks for everything they do for their patients and families.
Also helping to further the mission of the DAISY Foundation is Kimberly Clarke, national provider of both medical and personal care products. With Kimberly Clarke’s sponsorship of the program, the DAISY Foundation is able to continue along its path, providing not only funds but tissues to every DAISY winner (as tears often accompany the ceremonies
If you would like to nominate a special nurse, please go to the North Fulton Hospital website at www.nfultonhospital.com and click on “Nursing at NFH” to download a nomination form. You may also contact the hospital at 770-751-2671.
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North Fulton Hospital (NFH), part of Tenet Georgia, is a 202-bed, acute-care hospital located on Highway 9, Alpharetta Highway, in Roswell. Opened in 1983, NFH serves North Fulton and surrounding counties through its team of over 1000 employees, 400 staff physicians and 200 volunteers. NFH is a state-designated Level II trauma center and provides a continuum of services through its centers and programs, including neurosciences, women’s health services, orthopedics, rehabilitation, surgical services, gastroenterology and oncology. The hospital is fully accredited and also is certified as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.