Melissa McFarlane-Boddie, RN, Honored with DAISY Award at UF Health Flagler Hospital

St. Augustine, Fla. January 4, 2023 – Melissa McFarlane-Boddie, RN, has been honored as the UF Health St. JohnsDAISY Award recipient for the final quarter of 2022, it was announced today. Melissa was honored for going above and beyond for a patient in order to get him home without delay.

The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary compassion and skill nurses give daily. Melissa, a nurse in the Cardiovascular Care Unit (CVU) at UF Health Flagler Hospital, was nominated by a patient who was able to be home with his loved ones earlier than expected due to her exemplary care and above-and-beyond assistance.

“My nursing care at the CVU after arterial bypass surgery… was uniformly compassionate and knowledgeable. Of all the nurses taking care of me during that time, one stands out for going far above the call,” wrote Robert “Bob” Porter, Jr. in his nomination letter. “Labor Day weekend, with pharmacies either closing or already closed for the holiday weekend, [Melissa] tracked down a pharmacy that was open and filled my prescriptions…so that I could be discharged to my home instead of staying in the hospital for two more days.”

“Not only did she thoroughly vet every drug prescribed to me each day, but on Sunday, she personally arranged my discharge. The care and determination she showed is reflective of the entire CVU nursing staff at UF Health St. Johnsand why I nominated her for a Daisy Award. Melissa is a credit to her profession and UF Health St. Johns is lucky to have dedicated nurses like Melissa who go the extra mile for their patients,” Porter continued.

“I always try to make a difference in the lives of all my patients,” said Melissa. “My mom is my world, and I treat our patients like I would like someone to treat my mom. I was heartbroken with the recent passing of a patient, so this honor is really an affirmation of what we do as nurses.”

“Melissa truly exhibited the ‘Power of +’ through her dedication to meeting the needs of her patient,” said Carlton DeVooght, President and CEO of Flagler Health+. “She is a well-deserved recipient of the DAISY Award. Her willingness to go the extra mile represents our core values and made a tremendous difference to this patient. Through her efforts, he was able to go home where he was most comfortable.”

In recognition of this honor, Melissa received a stone-carved “Healers Touch” trophy, a DAISY winner’s pin, a gift basket, and a $200 bonus.

Melissa’s nomination was among 67 recognitions that were submitted in Q4 2022 by patients, their families, and UF Health St. Johnsteam members.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is part of The DAISY Foundation’s program to recognize the super-human efforts nurses make every day. The not-for-profit DAISY Foundation, based in Glen Ellen, Calif., was established by J. Mark Barnes and his family in memory of his son J. Patrick Barnes. J. Patrick died at the age of 33 in 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (IT)P, a little-known autoimmune disease. The nursing care Patrick and his family received while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and families.