Emergency Department nurse receives DAISY Award

Going above and beyond seems to be a normal part of the day for nurses, but one Bridgeport Hospital Emergency Department nurse went out of her way to make a family feel safe during one of the most harrowing days of their lives. For her compassion and exemplary care, Barbara Falkowski, RN, recently received the DAISY award.

The award honors extraordinary nurses and nursing students who demonstrate compassion, leadership and excellence. They can be nominated by patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, clinicians or staff who observe a nurse’s extraordinarily compassionate care.

Falkowski was tending to a patient injured while helping his family escape their burning home. Upon learning he was from Poland, Falkowski spoke Polish with the patient and his family while the patient was being transferred from another hospital. She made the family feel comfortable, calm and welcome, ordering their favorite foods and finding them clean clothes.

Her award nominator wrote, “The nurse put this family first. She kept this family safe and in a quiet environment while delivering the highest quality of coordinated care. The entire department felt the comfort and kindness the nurse provided to this family.”