Atra Robinson, a registered nurse at Olympic Medical Center, was recently honored with a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

The award, created by the DAISY Foundation, recognizes the “extraordinary, compassionate nursing care provided to patients and families every day,” OMC officials noted last week.

Robinson was recognized by a patient for her above and beyond approach to care. According to the nomination story, she not only noticed the signs of a serious infection in the patient, but she also checked in with the patient at home via text message at the end of the night and the next morning.

Chief Nursing Officer Vickie Swanson, OMP primary care clinic manager Lacey Gentry and Stacia Kiesser, OMP clinic training & development manager, presented Robinson with the Daisy Award.

“After home-testing negative for COVID the day before, I called in for help. It was 4:50 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. For days, I had been running a high fever (at least for me) along with subtle flu-like symptoms. I was transferred to Atra Robinson. She asked me a series of questions, things that hadn’t occurred to me.

After hearing my answers, she encouraged me to take a medication to get my fever down and to take the second home COVID test. She asked me to call her back with the results and that we would make a plan based on that second result. It didn’t matter that she was to leave work that day at 5 p.m. I did as she instructed.

When I called and told her the test came back negative again, she strongly encouraged me to get to the Walk-in Clinic. She let me know that they close at 6 p.m., so I knew I had a narrow window.

Turns out I had a serious infection that was working its way through my digestive system. The person I saw at the clinic said he was very glad I came in when I did, and I likely “dodged a bullet” by not waiting. I was prescribed a heavy-dose antibiotic.

Two hours later, I was home with my antibiotics and happily back in bed. I heard my phone ding for a text. It was Atra checking in on me! What a lovely thing to do. I told her what happened. She even offered some prevention tactics which I will definitely look at. The next morning, another text, “Hope you’re feeling better,” she wrote. I am and much of it has to do with Atra Robinson. Thank you, Atra!”

Olympic Medical nurses may be nominated by patients, families and colleagues. Each honoree receives a certificate commending her or him as an “Extraordinary Nurse.”

The certificate reads: “In deep appreciation of all you do, who you are, and the incredibly meaningful difference you make in the lives of so many people.”

Honorees also receive a DAISY Award pin and a meaningful, hand-carved sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch.”

A cross-functional committee of healthcare workers review the nominations and select the final nominee.

Go to olympicmedical.org/thank-a-nurse for more information or to nominate an extraordinary Olympic Medical Center nurse.

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Barnes died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of an auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem.)

The care Barnes and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

More information can be found at DAISYfoundation.org.