Bayhealth nurse recognized for exceptional care of organ donor

DOVER — It can be a trying job caring for a patient in critical care but Elizabeth Ford, a registered nurse at Bayhealth Kent Campus, recently met a difficult challenge head-on.

Ms. Ford was rewarded with a DAISY Award — a “thank you” for extraordinary nurses — for her care of a patient during his organ donation.

The DAISY Award honors “the super-human work that nurses everywhere do for their patients along with their families,” according to Bayhealth.

The program recognizes nurses who show compassion and determination through the care they provide.

Bayhealth officials say Ms. Ford went above and beyond in the care and comfort of a patient who was in critical care at Bayhealth Kent Campus, as well as his loved ones.

They say she consistently responded with urgency to every request and assessed every aspect of care thoroughly.

The family of Ms. Ford’s patient decided to donate their loved one’s organs as to “not let his death be in vain” and to give others the gift of life.

After the decision to donate the patient’s organs was made, Ms. Ford began working to ensure that the organs were eligible for donation.

She spent 24 hours over two days caring for her patient and then made the decision to stay four hours after her shift ended to take her patient to the operating room.

She advocated for her patient and his family, creating a comforting space during a very difficult time.

“My family will always remember the comfort, compassion and respect that Lizz had for us,” her nominator said. “We will always remember that my brother’s final moments were truly in the hands of a phenomenal, dedicated nurse who went the extra mile.”

DAISY Award honorees are chosen by nurses, administrators, peers, physicians, volunteers, patients and families.

Anyone who knows a Bayhealth nurse who deserves to be nominated should visit Bayhealth.org/DAISY and fill out the nomination form.

Visit Giftoflife.org to learn more about how individuals can give the gift of life.

Staff writer Mike Finney can be reached at 302-741-8230 or mfinney@iniusa.org.
Follow @MikeFinneyDSN on X.