By Folasade Akpan

Ms Rosemary Okoroafor, a nurse at Karshi General Hospital, a surbub of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has bagged the DAISY Foundation award for extraordinary nurses.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that DAISY is an acronym for Diseases that Affect Immune Systems.

The award is a recognition programme to celebrate and recognise nurses by collecting nominations from patients, families, and co-workers.

Okoroafor was conferred the award on Monday at the hospital premises by members of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses in North America (NANNNA).

At the ceremony, Dr Emilia Iwu, a board member of NANNNA, said that the DAISY award was initiated in 1999 to recognise nurses that gave compassionate care to their patients.

She said the foundation was established after the death of Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old, who died of a group of diseases that affected his immune system, but was taken very good care of by the nurses.

His family decided to honour his memory with the foundation and the nurses’ recognition.

She said it was a global award that was just brought to Nigeria and would henceforth be done yearly.

“So we brought the DAISY award to Nigeria to really recognise Nigerian nurses who are giving excellent care, taking care of patients regardless of any situation they are faced with in the hospital.

“It has been happening in the United States and other countries, but DAISY and NANNNA are partnering to bring the award to Nigeria to recognise the excellent work nurses are doing in Nigeria.”

Iwu said that to be eligible, nurses are nominated by their patients and their families.

The award recipient, Okoroafor, thanked the organisers for the award, adding that she was so proud to be a nurse and being the first recipient of the award in Nigeria.

“I didn’t know that I would be nominated in the first place, but I feel that’s the work of God and good work always pays.

“When you’re doing good things, nobody sees you, but God in heaven sees everything.

“My advice to my colleagues is that good work pays. I pray that they would also work hard.

“Do things with your heart, don’t do eye service, show compassion to the less privileged and your patients.”

Describing Okoroafor’s relationship with patients, the Head of Nursing at the Hospital, Ms Sarah Imohionsen, said that she was very caring and often referred to as “Maman Yara” because of how she helps even with patients’ bills.

“The kind of patients we have in Karshi are actually indigents. Most of them cannot actually afford their bills.

“We task ourselves, or at times we meet our Medical Director to write off the bills, and at other times we feed the patients, and she goes to all lengths to care for patients, either for drugs or blood.

“They know her around the hospital, so I am very happy with these little things we do, unnoticed, but it has been noticed today.”

Mr Jama Maden, the Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), FCT, said he was impressed with the recognition to the rural nurse.

He said this indicated that good things would always locate those deserving of it irrespective of their location.

“The little care and the little steps you take to help somebody extraordinarily will also be traced to you wherever you are.”

Dr Esther Oshinluyi, Chair of the Health Mission Committee of NANNNA, said that the association was an umbrella body of nurses in the United States, Mexico and Canada.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru