‘It’s never been a job for me’: Windsor Columbine Health Systems nurse wins international DAISY Award

Cheri Brandt, a licensed practical nurse at Columbine Commons and Rehab in Windsor, received the DAISY Award on Jan. 25 based on nominations from colleagues.

WINDSOR, CO, US, March 7, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- It’s not uncommon for Cheri Brandt to return to work after her nursing shift to hold a hand, sit with or offer her heart to a passing resident.

This is why her colleagues feel she’s the “glue” that holds Columbine Health System’s team together — a gift they deemed worthy of a DAISY Award nomination.

Brandt, a licensed practical nurse at Columbine Commons and Rehab in Windsor, received the DAISY Award on Jan. 25 based on nominations from colleagues.

“I’m very humbled by it and very honored,” Brandt said. “It was quite a surprise to just be nominated … let alone to be the winner of the DAISY Award. I’m usually not at a loss for words but it touched my heart so deeply that several people had nominated me.”

The award, an international distinction created by the DAISY — or Diseases Attacking the Immune System — Foundation recognizes nurses for the “extraordinary, compassionate and skillful care they provide patients and families,” according to a Columbine Health Systems news release.

“Cheri is an exceptional colleague who has dedicated many years of her nursing career to the patients and residents of Columbine Health Systems,” a nominating colleague said. “She is a compassionate caregiver, consistently demonstrating genuine interest in their health and well-being.”

Cathy Franecki, Columbine Health Systems Director of Clinical Services, added that Brandt’s compassion and commitment to quality care reflect the mission and vision of not only Columbine but also the spirit of the DAISY Award.

Brandt has worked at Columbine Commons since 2013. In 1984, at the age of 19, a nursing career felt like a perfect fit when she and her sister became nursing assistants at a skilled nursing facility in their Nebraska hometown.
“I just fell in love with taking care of other people,” Brandt said. “I just feel like it’s what God wanted me to do.”

In 1992, Brandt and her sister began attending nursing school, eventually leading her to Colorado where she joined the Columbine Health Systems over 14 years ago, the release said. Brandt said she loves working at Columbine because the company allows her to be herself.

Nursing has become a big part of who Brandt is, so much so, that she doesn’t view the role as a job.

“It’s never been a job for me,” Brandt said. “There’s been moments when it’s hard but after you take care of people, you listen to their story and you get to be their family … there’s nothing else like it.”

Since 1971, Columbine Health Systems has been Northern Colorado’s leader in Compassionate senior care, the release said. In 2023, Columbine Health Systems started participating in the DAISY Award.

Long-term and senior care often get overlooked, according to Brandt, who’s proud that Columbine now participates in the DAISY AWARD so this type of care and its workers can receive recognition.

“We are truly honored and proud to have such quality caregivers serving our residents,” Franecki said.

Andrea Walker
Columbine Health Systems
+1 970-449-5541
contactus@columbinehealth.com
Visit us on social media:
Facebook
LinkedIn
YouTube