Photos: Daisy- Winner-Reddy, DSC_2965
DAISY Award Recipient, Ranjeetha Reddy, RN, with the DAISY Award Committee
SUGAR LAND—(March 6, 2017) — Lee Cantos, RN, and Ranjeetha Reddy, RN, were named Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s DAISY Award winners, a national honor that recognizes the contributions of extraordinary nurses.
Cantos was nominated by a number of patients, who praised her kindness and willingness to provide compassionate care. One patient wrote that she was scared during her first night in the hospital, but Cantos went out of her way to make her feel secure.
“I was worried about being left alone because my family was unable to spend the night,” the patient wrote on her nomination form. “Lee quickly calmed my fears. She kneeled down at the side of my bed and explained everything about the unit. She was kind and considerate. She listened and answered all the questions that my daughters and I had. By the time she finished, I knew I was in good hands and my daughters felt better having to leave me alone. Throughout that night she kept her promise. She was there constantly monitoring my heart rate and blood pressure. She took great care of me. My family and I thank her for being a nurse committed to excellent patient care.”
Reddy was also nominated by several of her patients, who commented on her comforting and gentle nature. One patient in particular spoke of her recent diagnosis of acute leukemia, and the struggles she faced in dealing with the reality of both the illness and the treatment.
“Ranjeetha is amazingly comforting as she cares for you,” the patient wrote. “Her care and concern for every detail is extraordinary. She has taken the time to get to know me and how I respond to things. She anticipates my anxiousness and heads it off with encouragement I can trust. I feel so confident when she cares for me, and it allows me to remain positive with my treatments. My doctor is so pleased with my response to the chemotherapy, and I owe that to her. I wouldn’t have made it this far without her.”
In honor of the DAISY Award selection, Cantos and Reddy received a certificate of appreciation, a DAISY Award pin, a beautiful sculpture titled “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona tribe in Zimbabwe and a reserved parking spot.
The DAISY Foundation was established by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from an autoimmune disease. The care the Barnes family received from nurses inspired this unique award as a way of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. Today, more than 1,300 hospitals across the U.S. participate in the program.
“We are proud to be among the hospitals participating in the DAISY Award program,” said Janet Leatherwood, Chief Nursing Officer. “Nurses like Lee and Ranjeetha are everyday heroes who demonstrate excellence through clinical expertise and compassionate care, and we are excited to be able to recognize them – and our future winners – as outstanding role models for the nursing profession.”
To learn more about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, please visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland, and visit our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland to congratulate these nurses on their award.