MetroWest Medical Center proudly announces its “DAISY Award” recipient as Stephanie LaFleur, RN.
Stephanie LaFleur, RN, pictured far left in blue. 
MetroWest Medical Center leadership organized the surprise award celebration and ceremony where some of Stephanie’s long-time colleagues joined to recognize her with this honorable national recognition.
“We are very proud of Stephanie and appreciate her passion for nursing as her lifelong career,” said Naomi Seymour Interim Chief Nursing Officer. “We are grateful for every one of our nurses and their dedication to safe and compassionate patient care. This award truly reflects the values of our extraordinary nurses.”
Stephanie’s nomination was written by her sister and colleagues. Some excerpts include:
“…fortunately for healthcare, there are still some people who go into the [nursing] profession because being a nurse is who they are, at their core. They are loving souls who find joy and purpose in dedicating themselves to the care and comfort of others… These people are gems, and I am fortunate to have known many of these gems over the years…we got a diamond!…Stephanie is the epitome of what it means to BE a nurse…Over 45 years ago, Stephanie began her career…While attending the Framingham Union Hospital School of Nursing…she took a job in housekeeping, working on the weekends, getting a glimpse of what it was like to work in a hospital. After graduating, she took a job as a nurse on the 5th floor…she moved to Telemetry, before finding where she was truly meant to be several years later, as a critical care nurse in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). It was hard work, but the work was worth the rewards. Caring for those who were facing challenging and frightening circumstances, she threw herself into providing care and comfort to patients and their families…she treated them as if they were her own family…”
“…the ICU [staff] cared for a high school teen who had been hit by a large truck while riding her bike. It was a very sad situation. This teen was in the ICU for months, struggling to get her life back. She faced a long recovery. Roughly 20 years later, while at a baptism for her daughter, Stephanie felt a tap on her shoulder from the person in the row behind her. When she turned to face them, she recognized that teen, now a beautiful young woman, and the two shared an embrace. There were happy tears all around. The love and support given to this young girl by Stephanie, and many others in the ICU, had a lasting impression on her, and no doubt aided her during her recovery. From the challenges she faced, she remembered the good. This is what being a nurse is about.”
“…Stephanie is the person we would want caring for those we care about. She greets everyone with a smile, a friendly face that puts you at ease and lets you know you are in good hands. She listens, offers reassurance and hope, and works collaboratively with others to care for the whole person, “old school” nursing at its finest. In ICU, caring for patients at the end of their lives and their families, she was a quiet comfort, a hand to hold, a human touch that let them know they were not in this alone. After working in ICU for the majority of her time, Stephanie took a job in PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) … [bringing] the same dedication to putting people at ease, reassuring them, and helping them through the challenges they face. Stephanie has this same dedication and compassion for others outside of work as well. She is always willing to help out however she can and help lighten the load for others… No one is more deserving…of an award honoring an incredibly dedicated and exemplary nurse and human being…Her kindness and selflessness have left an impression on the hearts of countless individuals… [Stephanie] by just being herself, showing compassion and dedication to others, created a legacy…”
The DAISY (acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation was formed in November 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died of an autoimmune disease at the age of 33. The Barnes family were deeply touched by the kind and compassionate nursing care Patrick received throughout his many hospitalizations and established the DAISY award in Patrick’s honor and memory. Nurses are nominated by patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team. A committee reviews the nominations to identify who will be the DAISY recipient. A reception is held to honor the DAISY recipient who receives a hand carved “healing touch” statue, certificate, and DAISY pin, a banner signed by the DAISY recipient hangs on the nurse’s unit. Today the DAISY award is presented in over 54,000 healthcare organizations, and 35 countries and territories.
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About MetroWest Medical Center
MetroWest Medical Center is the largest community health care system between Worcester and Boston. It provides services in two locations: Framingham Union in Framingham and Leonard Morse in Natick. MetroWest Medical Center is committed to meeting the health care needs of the area residents by providing advanced medicine and personalized care, right in the local community. To learn more, visit www.mwmc.com.