Perry Pettie, RN, at Baptist Memorial Hospital DeSoto, Southaven, MS, has received his THIRD DAISY Award!!! He's the first man to receive the DAISY Award more than once and he's the first nurse to receive it three times!!! All three stories tell of an Extraordinary, Compassionate Nurse.

Below are the stories from people who Perry have touched in his career as a nurse.

• Perry went above and beyond his duties in helping to obtain an MRI for my mother in law. She was admitted to the hospital for a broken hip. Sometime during her first night there, she suffered a stroke. All this occurred on her left side. She was in much pain. Due to the stroke, it was mandatory for her to have an MRI before the surgery, per the neurologist, due to sedation procedure for the hip surgery. She was taken down two times for the MRI and she would not let them move her because she was in such pain and not in her right mind due to the stroke. We asked for more help on this issue and Perry did everything he could in assisting in getting this done. He personally went with her and had her son go down with her to see that the MRI would be done and he made it happen. We are so grateful to him for going above and beyond in helping with this matter. We are also thankful for Brad, hospital administrator, for making sure this happened. All the staff was great during her stay there but Perry stands out a lot to us. We feel he deserves the DAISY Award recognition for what he did to help.

• A couple weeks ago on a very cold rainy morning my family was turned upside down when my father was involved in an early morning vehicle wreck on his way to work and upon arrival was rushed into the operating room with multiple broken bones and a very poor prognosis. My family and I were gathered out in the front lobby of the hospital. My mother was so very upset and was crying so hard that she could hardly breathe. During these moments out of nowhere an angel came over to help.

  Perry, a nurse from the 8th floor, was on his way home that morning and noticed that my mother was terribly upset. Perry stopped to console my mother. Perry spent 30 minutes talking to my mother and the rest of our family and really put all of us at ease. Perry didn't give us false hope, but answered some questions for us and reassured us that my father was in good hands. Before Perry left to go home we all held hands and Perry led a prayer on my father's behalf. I never had the chance to thank Perry, so please let him know how much this act of kindness meant to all of us. My dad is now home with us and we never will forget the act of kindness that Perry showed our family.

  Perry's act of kindness didn't stop there. As Perry was walking out the front door he recognized a patient from his floor that was being discharged home. This little lady was in a wheel chair and her husband was walking with a walker. It was raining really hard and Perry was concerned about the couple. Perry asked them if they trusted him well enough to go and get their car for them to keep them from getting rained on. Of course they said yes and Perry ran across the parking lot and got this couple's car for them. Perry helped the little lady into her car, hugged her and wiped the tears from this little lady's face.

  Perry was on his way home and took the time to help strangers in need. Thank God for people like Perry. Please nominate Perry from the 8th floor for The DAISY Award.

October 2009

• Nothing can prepare someone for the intense emotions and fear that accompany admittance of someone you love to the hospital. My family was faced with these emotions as my Dad was admitted to Baptist DeSoto suffering from symptoms associated with lung cancer. He was severely dehydrated, weak and having trouble eating. Over the course of his ten day stay, we watched his enormous improvements, which we feel strongly contributed to the gentleness and graciousness of our nurse, Perry Pettie.

  During struggles such as these, it is easy to feel that that all hope is lost; however, Perry encouraged us to think otherwise. The comfort and kindness shown by Perry alleviated our fears and anxieties and inspired my Father to fight. He would make special trips to bring him snacks, help when it was not asked of him and lend a listening ear. Perry made us feel as if my Dad was his only patient, even when we often overheard of his busy, stacked schedule.

  My family cannot imagine this time without the encouraging smile and comfort of our nurse, Perry. We are forever grateful and we know that a patient taken care of by Perry Pettie, is a life touched forever.

To view a list on men in nursing recipients of the DAISY award, click here.
Names are listed alphabetically by award year.