Rhonda Cochran Named DAISY Winner

ROME, Ga., April 15, 2023 – When a family had to cope with the death of a loved one, a nurse at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center was right there to comfort them as they grieved.

Because of her outstanding compassion, Rhonda Cochran, RN, received a DAISY Award on Friday during a surprise announcement in the ICU at the hospital.

The DAISY Award is an international program that recognizes bedside nurses for the exceptional care they provide. The family of Patrick Barnes established the award after he died from an auto-immune disease while being treated in a Seattle hospital.

“These DAISY Awards are pretty special because the nominations come from the families," said Sheila Bennett, senior vice president and chief of patient services at Atrium Health Floyd. “When a family takes the time to nominate you during one of the most difficult times in their lives, it really means something."

Cochran was nominated by one of the patient's relatives who was thankful for her calming influence and kindness.

“As someone who was in another state while my wife and grandma were here dealing with grandpa dying, I have never felt so much comfort. Then, getting to this hospital when we had to let him go, and seeing all the kind things this nurse did was unreal," the nomination form read.

“She took such good care of our family, hugged my wife when needed, provided care for my grandma and gave us goodies while we were here. The final gesture was a heartbeat printout for the family in small glass bottles. The way in which she delivered these, the care she showed the whole time was beyond anything I would have ever expected. We will never forget her kindness, ever."

Cochran was presented with a DAISY pin and a sculpture entitled “A Healer's Touch." The DAISY sculptures are hand-carved for the DAISY Foundation by members of the Shona Tribe in Zimbabwe.

The nurse and her teammates were also treated with cinnamon buns, a DAISY tradition because it was one of the few things Patrick Barnes could eat while he was hospitalized.

Cochran has been working at the hospital since June, when she became a registered nurse.

“I really have no words. I am just honored. When I interviewed here, I told them that I just wanted to make a difference," she added.

About Atrium Health Floyd
The Atrium Health Floyd family of health care services is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Floyd employs more than 3,500 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at three hospitals: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center – a 304-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia; and Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; as well as Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health – a freestanding 53-bed behavioral health facility in Rome – and also primary care and urgent care network locations throughout northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd also operates a stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County, the first such facility to be built from the ground-up in Georgia.

About Atrium Health 
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association's Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing $2.8 billion last year in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits.