A caring nurse at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center made an impression on a family, not only for the care she provided a patient after surgery but also for making sure family members were taken care of while they were visiting their loved one.

For her efforts, Pam Arp was named a DAISY Award winner, an international honor that recognizes bedside nurses for providing outstanding care.

“I don’t think we can ever put into words how much Pam will always mean to this family,” the family member wrote in a letter nominating Arp for the award. “We cannot brag on her enough.”

The nurse stayed past the end of her shift one night just to make sure the patient was OK and left the hospital to get some food for a family member after the hospital cafeteria had closed.

“Pam will always hold a huge place in our hearts, not only for helping save our mama, but also for helping us understand what was going on and how to help mom finish recovering at home. Pam is the best nurse mom has ever had,” the nomination form stated.

Sheila Bennett, senior vice president and chief of patient services at Atrium Health Floyd, became emotional when presenting the DAISY to Arp.

“When I heard it was Pam, I totally realized why she won, because she took care of my mother several times and everything in this letter is true. You are special and you do care,” Bennett said.

Arp, who is a nurse the medical surgical unit, has been a teammate at Atrium Health Floyd since 2001. It is the first time she has won a DAISY Award.

“I am honored. I love taking care of patents,” she said. “I kind of pamper them but I feel like that is what I am called to do.”

The family of Patrick Barnes established the DAISY Award after he died from an auto-immune disease while being treated in a Seattle hospital.

Arp was given 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.