Evangelical Community Hospital Awards DAISY Honor for Nursing Excellence to Autumn Swartzlander, RN, BSN

Autumn Swartzlander, RN, BSN, was presented the DAISY Award on Thursday, September 22, 2022. The award is presented to a deserving nurse who exemplifies clinical expertise and compassionate care and is recognized as a role model in the nursing community.

Swartzlander was nominated for the award by Ariana Daub of Milton, who was a patient at The Family Place, the obstetrics unit of Evangelical Community Hospital. Swartzlander was presented the award surrounded by her fellow coworkers, Hospital and Nursing leadership, and her husband and daughter. Daub and her son were present to read the nomination in person.

In the nomination, Daub shared, “Autumn is a top-notch L&D (labor and delivery) nurse. She and Heidi, the midwife, did a wonderful job coaching me during labor. We bonded over the fact that we both lost pregnancies sharing our stories and how we still feel about losing our babies.”

Daub continued, “Then a few short hours after giving birth to my son, I received the devastating news that my maternal grandmother had unexpectedly passed away. Autumn wasn’t there when I first found out, but when she arrived at work and found out, she came straight to me to offer her condolences and to help support me not just physically, but also emotionally.”

Swartzlander began serving as an RN as part of the Evangelical’s nursing staff in June 2015 on the Medical Unit. In 2020, the Medical and Surgical Units combined into Acute Care with Swartzlander giving her time to patients in that area. In May 2021, Swartzlander transferred to The Family Place, to bring her nursing expertise to moms and their babies.

The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in California by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 from complications of an auto-immune disease. During his eight-week hospital stay, his family was impressed by the care and compassion his nurses provided, not only to him but to everyone in the family. They created the DAISY Award in his memory to recognize those nurses who make a big difference in the lives of so many people.

Evangelical is proud to be a DAISY Award partner. Nurses are nominated by patients, family members of patients, as well as other healthcare professionals. Nominations are presented for consideration through a process of anonymity. The winner is then selected by a board of healthcare workers. Each DAISY Award Honoree is given a DAISY Award pin, a certificate of honor, a gift card from Service First Federal Credit Union, and a stone sculpture entitled, A Healer’s Touch, handcrafted by a tribe in Zimbabwe.

Nominations for the DAISY award can be made by patients, patient family members, colleagues, and providers. If an Evangelical Community Hospital nurse has displayed extraordinary clinical expertise and compassion, visit www.DAISYnomination.org/ECH and fill out a nomination form.