Evangelical Community Hospital Awards DAISY Honor for Nursing Excellence to Shelby Ruch, RN, BSN

Shelby Ruch, RN, BSN, was presented the DAISY Award on Thursday, June 16, 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.

Ruch, who has been an RN and a part of the Evangelical family of employees since January 2017, was surrounded by her nominator, fellow coworkers, mentors, Hospital and Nursing leadership, as well as her husband, daughter, and extended family, as she was presented with the award. She was nominated for the award by a coworker, Brittany Smith, a nursing assistant on the Acute Care Unit at Evangelical.

In the nomination, Smith shared, “I got to follow Shelby around for my nursing internship. The one day we had a ‘heavy’ assignment, but I watched first-hand Shelby making sure every patient was well cared for. Now working as a nursing assistant, I have watched Shelby go above and beyond with every patient she encounters. She exemplifies the role of an empathetic and caring nurse, and I could not be happier than to work beside her and follow in her footsteps.”

Smith continued, “A specific example was when our patient was not doing well—Shelby dedicated her time to sit with the patient and their family to comfort them in their time of need. I watched her extend her hand to the patient in comfort and talk to them to calm their nerves. She is dedicated to serving others and showing how humble a person can be.”

Ruch was hired as an RN on the Surgical Unit when she began at Evangelical. In the transition to the new addition of the Hospital her nursing expertise now includes caring for medical, surgical, and acute care patients. Since joining Evangelical, Ruch has worked through the nursing ladder program at the Hospital and is currently a level III Registered Nurse. A RN III is accountable for the provision of expert patient care including service to patients with complex needs. The level III nurse has increased responsibilities that may include staff orientation, patient care coordination, or other unit/service activities.

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.