One thing that stood out to me was her strong advocacy for me, the patient, helping to listen to me and give me advice on steering my own care plan in my conversation with the doctor.
Brianna WhiteBrianna White was uncertain what her assigned nurse Barbara “Barb” Powers meant when she introduced herself during a hospital stay at New London Hospital (NLH) in 2024. “Hi, I’m an RN and I run!” Powers said.
Over the several days White was admitted, she soon understood these words as she experienced Powers’ attentiveness despite the various patients under her care.
“One thing that stood out to me was her strong advocacy for me, the patient, helping to listen to me and give me advice on steering my own care plan in my conversation with the doctor. She gave me a pep talk, and it was lovely,” White explains. “She had a rare occasion of extra time when she had a lot of discharges, and when I desperately wanted to get fresh air, she walked me outside the emergency department and I was able to feel the sun on my skin, smell the flowers and breathe the outdoor air—much needed for my mental health!”
These experiences inspired White to nominate Powers for the DAISY Award, which rewards and celebrates the extraordinary compassion and skill of nurses. NLH is a proud DAISY Award Hospital partner of the international DAISY Foundation.
White’s compelling nomination ended with, “This RN is a tenured, hardworking, compassionate nurse who I understand now why she has to ‘run’ all the time!”
The NLH Patient and Family Advisory Council along with the NLH Employee Activities and Wellness Committee agreed, and recently recognized Powers as a DAISY Award winner.
With more than 40 years of nursing experience, with the last three at NLH, Powers is known by her team as one of their “pearls of wisdom,” shares Nicole S. Wakeman BSN, RN, clinical manager of Inpatient Services.
“She is an amazing nurse, whose drive and focus are completely on the patient. A little ball of fire, she has the wisdom of an experienced, well-tenured healthcare professional, and the compassion of one who has seen the best and the worst of people,” Wakeman says. “Our unit has great diversity within its ranks, and we would not be the NLH Inpatient Team without Barb Powers.”
If a nurse like Powers has made a positive difference in your care at NLH, please consider nominating them on our website for the DAISY Award or complete this form and return it to the Office of Patient Experience and Advocacy.