'Beyond the call of duty': A Franklin Square nurse is honored as extraordinary
As a teen growing up in India, Jyothis Joy was told her personality was a good match for the nursing profession.
Years later, dozens of patients and colleagues agree, as the 39-year-old Franklin Square resident recently received the coveted DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Joy got 27 nominations from patients impressed with her kind and attentive bedside manner at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream hospital.
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Jyothis Joy, a nurse at LIJ Valley Stream, is the hospital's first winner of the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.
Joy, who lives in Franklin Square, got 27 nominations from patients for the award.
She hopes to continue her education and become a clinical instructor.
"I just really thought she went over and above, beyond the call of duty," said Rhoda Kraut, of Hewlett, who was hospitalized with complications from hernia surgery last fall. "She wanted me to do better and gently pushed me when I needed it … so I love that about her."
The award, a first for LIJ Valley Stream, was a boost for Joy and other nurses who have battled through exhaustion and stress during two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joy, who is married and has a 4-year-old son, started her training in India after watching her grandmother suffer from heart issues. Joy often accompanied her to the hospital and was impressed with the collaboration between the doctors and nurses.
Her grandmother saw a spark.
"She viewed nursing as a well-respected career and thought my personality matched the nursing profession," Joy recalled.
Joy received her bachelor's degree in nursing and worked in India for several years before coming to the United States in 2007 and getting her license. She has worked at LIJ Valley Stream since 2008, caring for patients after surgery.
"I love bedside nursing," she said. "My approach to nursing is to develop a friendly relationship with the patient … treat everyone how you want to be treated. I believe in that."
The DAISY Award was established in 1999 by the parents and widow of Patrick Barnes, a 33-year-old man diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease. Barnes’ family was so thankful for the kindness and compassion he received during the final weeks of his life at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance at the University of Washington Medical Center that they launched the award to honor nurses.
DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The nonprofit DAISY Foundation works with hospitals around the country and internationally to set up local committees. Those committees select honorees and help determine how often the award should be given.
The award allows Joy access to several benefits, including grants and reduced tuition at certain nursing schools.
"This was a big surprise for me," she said. "I’m honored. I’m blessed. I’m humbled."
During an interview last week, Terry Pando, chief nursing officer at LIJ Valley Stream, looked through the handwritten stack of nominations and read from one.
"Joy embodies her name by truly being and bringing joy to our patients," Pando read from one patient. "She took such good care of me and made me feel safe and cared for in my most vulnerable state. Not only did she provide amazing nursing care and made sure my medical needs were met, she provided emotional support when she saw I was nervous."
LIJ Valley Stream hospital nurse Jyothis Joy. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
Renee Sanchez, director of Magnet Program and Nursing Quality who is also a nurse and previous DAISY Award winner at another health care facility, put together the committee at LIJ Valley Stream. Committee members reviewed the recommendations, scored and ranked them, but the names of nominees were blinded during the discussion.
Overall, about 100 nominations were received for about 50 nurses. Joy found out she was the winner last month.
"It was obvious that she has touched her patients in a very special way," Pando said. "She has a connection … and it came through in all of the nominations — her calmness, her knowledge, her actions in the room, making them feel so secure and so special."
Joy praised her colleagues for their strong commitment to teamwork, saying the award is a boost for all of them after a tough two years. She hopes to continue her education and become a clinical instructor.
But for now, she wants to enjoy time with her son, Samuel, and focus on her patients.
"Nursing is my calling," she said. "I need to continue to work hard ... and make a difference every day."
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.
