RN Kimberly Septrion receives DAISY Award at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.

Holly Peeraer, left, with Kim Septrion

RN Kimberly Septrion receives DAISY Award at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.

LUDINGTON — Kim Septrion, a radiology department registered nurse at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital was selected as the hospital’s latest recipient of the DAISY Award For Extraordinary Nurses. The announcement was made at a ceremony in her honor at which the former patient who nominated her, Holly Peeraer, of Hart, was present.

Peeraer recounted the reasons she nominated Septrion for the award.

Nurses are nominated for the DAISY Award by patients, families and colleagues, and they are chosen by a committee of nurses at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital. Awards are given three times a year, with each honoree given a certificate and a sculpture called “A Healer’s Touch.”

“My doctor had found a mass on my thyroid,” said Peeraer, “and cancer could not be ruled out. Hearing that I might have cancer at the age of 30 was very overwhelming to me, and I was anxious. But when I got the call to schedule my biopsy, the voice on the phone was so calm and confident that I began to relax.

“Kim answered my many questions with compassion. She listened patiently to my fears and spoke in terms I could understand. The next day, I met Kim in person. She again explained the entire procedure so that my mom, who was with me, would understand what was going to happen.

“Kim then expertly placed my IV, made sure I had plenty of warm blankets and ensured that the doctor doing my procedure was aware of my allergy. She never left me alone and checked to make sure I was doing okay throughout the procedure.

“Having her there was comforting. Afterwards, she made sure I was comfortable and throughout my recovery kept the same steady and calm approach to the care she was giving. And then, the next day, she called me to check in and see how I was doing, asking if I had any questions.

  “Kim is an incredible nurse that goes above and beyond! Her ability to speak directly to my educational level without making me feel inadequate was something special. Her ability to ease my fears with her compassion was also exceptional.”

  Septrion said she was both honored and surprised about her nomination and selection for the DAISY Award. “To think she took the time to actually put pen to paper and write about how meaningful her experience was is something I will never forget,” Septrion said. “And then, to have her come in and share the experience with me in person, that was really special.”

   Septrion was also presented with the “5pin” award, a pin that denotes five nominations. She is the only nurse thus far that has received the 5pin award at the Ludington Hospital.

  Online nominations can be completed at www.spectrumhealth.org/Ludington by clicking on the DAISY Award section at the bottom of the page. At the Ludington Hospital, nomination forms and boxes are also at all nurse stations, in lobbies and in the medical offices.