The Punxsutawney Area Hospital is excited to announce the newest DAISY Award Recipient

The Punxsutawney Area Hospital is excited to announce the newest DAISY Award Recipient, Alicia Hawk, RN.

The DAISY award is part of a national nursing recognition program called the DAISY Foundation. An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, The DAISY Foundation was formed in November 1999, by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family. Today, DAISY proudly honors nurses wherever they practice, in whatever role they serve, and throughout their careers- from nursing student through lifetime achievement. The mission of the DAISY Foundation is to express gratitude to nurses that recognize them for the extraordinary compassionate, skillful care they provide patients and families. By honoring compassionate nurses, DAISY reinforces the importance of compassion in healthcare.
Alicia Hawk has been in the nursing field since 1998. She has been a Nurse Tech, LPN, and  currently for the past 21 years, an RN at the Punxsutawney Area Hospital. Alicia received her LPN from Indiana Career and Technology Center, an ASN from Lock Haven University, and a BSN from Clarion University.  “Alicia Hawk is a tremendous nurse at PAH and is a highly respected team member.  She cares for PAH patients as a maternity nurse and as a nursing supervisor leading staff.  We are thrilled to present the DAISY award to Alicia and recognize that PAH excels at nursing care because of nurses like Alicia”, stated Paula Spack, Vice President of Patient Care Services at PAH.  When asked what her favorite thing about being a nurse is, Alicia states, “Being a nurse gives you an opportunity to positively impact someone's life during a vulnerable period of time.  To know you made a difference by providing someone with compassion and a little extra love is incredibly rewarding.  I do not consider being a nurse a job or a career, it's not my work, it is my passion”. 

Any nurse that works for Punxsutawney Area Hospital is eligible to be nominated for this prestigious award. Nomination forms can be found in various locations at the hospital, they are given to patients upon discharge, and the electronic form can be found on www.pah.org. The nomination forms are reviewed 3 times a year for consideration. Each nomination will be blinded during the process of review. The review is completed by an internal committee of the hospital for consideration.
Alicia states, “Satisfaction is what I gain every day when I am working at PAH.  Knowing that through all of the physical and emotional stressors of being a nurse, I am making a difference is what really matters.  I do not feel that I did anything extraordinary to receive this award.  I was just being me.  I am incredibly honored and grateful to have been chosen as a DAISY Award Recipient”.

The DAISY foundation has created a specific set of guidelines to follow to determine what qualifies a nurse for a DAISY award. Alicia was nominated by a patient she cared for at PAH in the Expecting You Maternity department, who experienced Alicia’s kindness, compassion, and skill. Although she may feel that she did not do anything extraordinary, she made a lasting impression on this patient and their family, went above and beyond what is expected of her, and truly made a difference in the life of this patient.  PAH is proud to recognize her as a DAISY Award Recipient.
Nominations can be submitted at any time, there is no cutoff date for consideration. DAISY recipients receive a pin, a ‘Healers Touch’ Sculpture, reduced prices for educational advancement opportunities, access to seminars and journals, and discounts for various conferences for the entire length of their career. For more information about the DAISY Award or to make a nomination, visit www.pah.org


Pictured Left to right:  Rick and Abby Snyder, Alicia’s Parents, her Daughter Idella Hawk, Alicia and her Husband Bill Hawk.