UMDNJ-The University Hospital Nurse Earns DAISY Award

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-The University Hospital announced its first-ever winner of the DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation Award for Extraordinary Nurses last week.

Socorro Galano-Rogers, of Old Bridge, a pre-admissions testing nurse in preoperative services at the hospital, is the first of six employees to receive the bi-annual award.

The DAISY Award was created in 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 of autoimmune disease idiopathic thrombocytopenic purport (ITP). The award, created by Barnes' family to pay tribute to the nurses who cared for him, is now used by more than 1,200 hospitals to recognize nurses nationwide.

Recipients of the award are nominated by their peers, patients or families and are selected by their peers.

"It (the award) recognizes nurses who give compassionate bedside care and regularly demonstrate super-human tasks that nurses are expected to perform each day," said Theresa Rejrat, RN, vice president and chief nursing officer of UMDNJ-The University Hospital.

Galano-Rogers received a framed certificate of recognition, lapel pin and a hand-carved stone sculpture from Zimbabwe that reads "A Healer's Touch." She will be featured on the DAISY Foundation's website.

– Staff reports