Coldwater nurse awarded for outstanding care throughout 30-year career
Lynda Hooley, a nurse since 1975, has never lost her passion for caring for her patients.
For 13 years, Hooley has worked in the emergency room at ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital, and has been in ER for about 30 years of her career.
Recently, she was honored with The Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses and the Nurse Achievement Award, given during National Nurses Week.
“I am just so honored,” Hooley said.
Her nominator stated: “Lynda was chosen for The Daisy Award and Nurse of the Year Award because of many praises from both her patients and peers.”
The nominator said Hooley is the epitome of a nurse, with her kind words, caring personality and dedication to providing excellent care to each patients and is known for her ability handle difficult situations. Her peers have been known to say, "We'll send Lynda in.”
“Collectively, it's all the little things Lynda does without a second thought because she puts the patient first, that makes her a true Daisy Award recipient and Nurse of the Year winner,” the nominator said.
Although it might seem to her co-workers that Hooley does it all “without a second thought,” it is actually intentional on her part. As she goes into the day, Hooley said, she prays to be the best she can in each situation. As she looks back on the day, it’s highly important for her to know “I’ve done all I can for my patients.”
Nursing was Hooley’s longtime dream.
“Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a nurse,” she said.
After nursing school, she worked at Parkview Fort Wayne and spent several years as a traveling nurse.
“Then I fell in love with Michigan. I’d go by the sign that says ‘Pure Michigan’ and I’d always giggle and think, ‘What is so fantastic?’” Hooley said.
She made the move and found out.
“It’s the people here,” she said. “It was leaving the fast paced society and coming here to down-to-earth people that made the difference."
She loves nursing, but it comes with challenges, especially now.
“The downside of nursing is being short of staff,” Hooley said. “We need more hands-on care but you just have to give it your all. There are sad days and bad days, but you have to give it your best.”
Nurse Achievement Award is for those who exceed the everyday demands of the role and exhibit exceptional qualities in each of the following areas:
Has made an exceptional contribution to improving care/outcomes for patients and/or communities.
Has significantly contributed to delivering a positive outcome in service provision or patient care.
Shown outstanding understanding or advocacy on behalf of patients, clients, residents or the profession.
Use of prize money will enhance or assist in personal development or further development of processes or services in the workplace.
The Daisy Award, presented by The Daisy Foundation, a non-profit organization, recognizes the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care given patients and families every day. It was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes by his family. Barnes died in 1999 at age 33 due to complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, a little-known, but not uncommon, auto-immune disease. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.
The care Barnes and his family received from nurses inspired this means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.
Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. The recipient is chosen by a committee at ProMedica Coldwater Region Health to receive award.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Reporter: ProMedica Coldwater nurse awarded for outstanding care
