DAISY Nurse Denise McLaughlin is Making the Community Stronger
An infectious smile and boundless energy may be the first things you notice about Denise McLaughlin, Certified Diabetes Educator. Pair those with her unwavering commitment and passion for her work and it’s easy understand why she was honored with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses®.
An incredible champion of our Diabetes Education Program, Denise likes to be out in the community so her patients and families don’t have to travel far. She can often be found at one of our health centers, hospitals or even a patient’s home helping with food choices or trouble shooting an insulin pump. Her dedication to her work is seen in everything she does.
A patient's family offered this about her, "She truly listens and shows that she cares about helping her patients understand their condition." The family also credits her for making a positive – and immediate - impact with her approach as their loved one no longer needed diabetes medication after just six months under her care.
Denise also runs our Diabetes Support Group and Wellness Rx Program and promotes health and exercise through the program and health fairs year round. Last year, she partnered with Philanthropy to create a competition for the Wellness Rx patients to encourage healthy eating and weight management. The winners received farm shares to local CSAs.
McLaughlin joined the organization in 2015 coming from Moses Ludington Hospital, now part of ECH. She started as night nurse on the inpatient unit, quickly setting sights on a new role. Julie Tromblee, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer, shared “Denise knew early in her career with us that she wanted to part of Diabetes Education. “With her passion and guidance, the program has grown so much and our community is stronger as a result.”
About The DAISY Award
Elizabethtown Community Hospital launched the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in early 2018 as way to recognize and reward licensed nurses for making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients. Nomination forms and boxes are located at each of the hospital’s main entrances and online. Nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. A committee reviews nominations and twice a year, awards the honor to a deserving nurse.
The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Foundation is a national not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. More information is available at DAISYfoundation.org.