The International Home Care Nurses Organization (IHCNO) is a Supportive Association of the DAISY Foundation. The DAISY Foundation's mission is to express gratitude to nurses for extraordinary, compassionate, skillful care provided to patients and their families. The goal of this partnership is to recognize home care nurses or midwives throughout the world for the important care and compassion they provide. Nominations are ongoing and can be made on the http://www.IHCNO.org website. The selection process is a blinded review and nominations are scored according to the IHCNO criteria that include: a.) Models empathy and demonstrates a caring presence in all situations; b.) Demonstrates excellent clinical skills in the delivery of compassionate patient care; c.) Demonstrates professionalism in the work environment; d.) Establishes a special connection with the patients and families.
I am pleased to introduce the June 2022 IHCNO DAISY Honoree, Elena Nikolaidou, MSc, RGN, Home Health Services, Shso, Cyprus, President of the Community Nursing Division, CYNMA. Elena was nominated by Christiana Kouta, PhD, RN, Associate Professor in Community and Transcultural Health and Nursing at Cyprus University of Technology who wrote:
"Elena has been working in home nursing care for a long as I remember...30 years. She was one of the first 2 to 3 home care nurses in Cyprus. There, day after day with the client and patients...caring, teaching, comforting. For me, as a colleague, she has been an inspiration. Not only for the compassionate care towards clients, but for her enlightened spirit, leadership, the tireless hours of studying, searching about home care to improve the national services. She guides and supports colleagues; she is involved in research and tries to implement evidence-based home care nursing practice. In my view, Elena is a good example, role model for a culturally competent and compassionate nursing leader in home care nursing."
Elena commented: "Thank you for the great honor to receive the DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses. My deepest thanks to all of you who believe in me and joined in this unforgettable journey! This accomplishment is a significant milestone in my life. The DAISY Award give me the inspiration to work better and more vigorously for the nursing profession."
Congratulations Elena!