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Nurse Manager Annette Silver Receives DAISY Award

December 8, 2016 by   |   Leave a Comment

Recognition doesn’t come to every outstanding individual, but it did for Annette Silver, Nurse Manager for our Interventional Radiology Division. On Wednesday, December 7th, she received the DAISY Nurse Leadership Award for the family-like atmosphere she creates among her staff, serving as a role model for providing compassionate care, and the critical thinking skills she uses when solving problems and managing nurses who work in an often-stressful environment.

 

From those who call her Manager

The staff who nominated Annette wrote noteworthy praise:

  • “Annette is truly one of the best managers I have worked for in my 38 years as a nurse. It is because of her attention to detail, people skills, strong clinical background, and work ethic that I feel Annette Silver is truly deserving of the DAISY Leader Award.”
  • “I have never encountered a manager like Annette who so deeply cares about not only the patients we take care of, but cares even more deeply for her employees…I can honestly and full heartedly say that as long as Annette Silver is my manager, I will never leave UVA.”
  • “[Annette] creates a family atmosphere among staff by being open to feedback, giving praise when due, being cognizant of the work/life balance, and treating all staff equally and fairly. She even writes hand-written cards to add a personal touch to staff recognition.”
  • “Annette creates an environment of trust, compassion, and mutual trust and respect.”
  • “[Annette] is a hands-on leader, never moving so far from the bedside that she has lost sight of what we do each and every day…Simply put, Annette is amazing. She always has our backs, and we appreciate her more than words can express.”
  • “In my 41 years as a nurse, I’ve NEVER had a Nurse Manager who was more caring, more supportive, more understanding and compassionate, and more deserving of this award.”
  • “Annette is the best Nurse Manager that I have ever had. That says a lot because I have been a nurse since 1981.”
  • “She is devoted to her staff and makes our environment very family-like. Our patients, in return, feel as if they are a part of our family. Annette has been my role model since coming to UVA in 2000 and continues to be to this day.”

The how and why behind it all

Annette_with_team_For-Web

Annette Silver and fellow IR nurses and staff

Annette moved from Rochester, NY to Charlottesville in the summer of 1997. She joined the 4 Central team at UVA in August, advancing from a Clinician 3 to a Clinician 4 after a short time. She acted as a nurse in addition to being the shift manager, preceptor, and care coordinator. Then in 2004, she transferred to Interventional Radiology, and, with two colleagues encouraging her, she applied for a leadership position. Ready for a new and exciting challenge to develop her clinical, technical, and leadership skills, she accepted the position of Nurse Manager.

We asked Annette what motivates her each workday. She told us, “Being able to work with a team of nurses that are very talented, caring, engaged, dedicated, supportive to each other, fun, and with diverse knowledge, skills, interests, and strengths. This group of nurses complements the unique abilities and knowledge of the physicians, technologists, and other team members in IR to provide our patients phenomenal and ‘cutting edge’ technological care.”

Annette also expressed her gratitude to the staff who nominated her. She said, “It was an honor to be recognized with the DAISY Award, and I was very surprised. You are the BEST, and I appreciate each of you very much. Thank you, and here’s to you!!”

A little history on the DAISY Award

The Barnes’ family founded DAISY after their son, Patrick Barnes, passed away at age 33. Patrick suffered from ITP, an autoimmune issue that results in the destruction of platelets. During Patrick’s extended stay in the hospital, he and his family were wowed by the compassionate care they received from the nurses, even when Patrick was sedated and on a ventilator. The care given by many nurses was what helped the Barnes family persevere through dark times. In memory of Patrick’s legacy, namely how he never turned away anyone in need, his wife, Tena, coined the acronym DAISY—Diseases Attacking the Immune System. DAISY grew as a non-profit organization as a way to thank nurses for their excellent, compassionate, and effective care.

 

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