November 2009
Funke
Omo-osagie
,
RN. M.Sc.N.
ER
Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital
Windsor
,
Ontario
Canada

 

 

 

Two Nurses Honoured with Daisy Awards

Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital honoured two nurses last Tuesday with the newly introduced international recognition of nurses called the Daisy Awards. Pauline Dollar, 3North (Mental Health) and Adefunke Omo-osagie (better known as Funke), Emergency Department, were chosen from among 10 nurses nominated for the award.
Pauline and Funke were presented with award certificates, service pins, and a Healer's Touch sculpture, on behalf of the Daisy Foundation at a presentation in the Goyeau Street Lobby. All of the nurses nominated (Debbie Rickeard, Cardiology; Nancy Thomson and Sue Garbula from 8East; Elly Funkenhauser, Renal Program; Mona Girard, Cataract Eye Program; Shannon Buckley, Psychiatry; Mary Ellen Fitzmaurice, Psychiatry; and Mary Anne Sibbick, ER) were also presented with a special pin in recognition of their nomination.
The Daisy Award is an international program that awards and celebrates clinical skill and compassionate care provided by nurses. The three area hospitals jointly agreed to participate in this, the first of what will become a semi-annual event.
An ER nurse here since May 2005, Funke was very surprised when she found out that she had been nominated for a Daisy Award by colleague Heather Stevanka. She was even more surprised to find out she had been chosen as one of two recipients for the award. “I was shocked,” said Funke. “Why me? With hundreds of nurses here – why me?”
In addition to working full time as an ER nurse, and spending time with her husband and three children ages 12, 8 and 5, Funke recently graduated with a Masters degree in Nursing from the University of Windsor and teaches University of Windsor Nursing students at the hospital two days a week. She is also planning to go back to school in the Spring of 2010 to take Management and Leadership courses at Walden College.
Pauline was also surprised to hear that she had been chosen as a recipient of a Daisy Award. She has been working as an RPN at HDGH for the past 30 years, and felt that she was just doing her job. “I was blown away by it,” said Pauline. “It really made me feel that my job is worthwhile.” Pauline was nominated by patient Penny Lachance, who credits Pauline for her well being today.
Pauline has been working in Psychiatry for the past four years, but previously has worked in gerontology and general surgery (mainly orthopedics). A graduate of St. Clair College, Pauline is also a certified Aroma Therapist. She has also completed the Hospice Volunteer Course and Palliative Care Level One. Pauline is married with four children and five grandchildren.
Congratulations to Funke and Pauline and to all the nominees who truly practice the ‘art of nursing’ everyday and make a difference in the lives of all our patients and their families.