UNC Health Rockingham News Release • February 17, 2025 • E. Vernon
A Registered Nurse with 32 years at the Hospital Retires with Great Recognition . . .
(Eden, NC) – Martha Stanfield, RN, was honored with The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award for Extraordinary Nurses at UNC Health Rockingham. Hospital nursing leadership along with senior leaders gathered to celebrate Stanfield with her fellow nursing and hospitalist teammates and her family.
Stanfield has been a dedicated nurse at the hospital for thirty-two years. She began her career as a nurse on the inpatient medical and surgical floor, where she worked for twelve years, spending much of her time with pediatric patients and their families. She then transitioned to a house nursing supervisor where she served for the remaining twenty years of her nursing career. Having spent her early life on a farm caring for animals and people, she shared that being in a nurturing field was something that came naturally to her.
In her supervisory capacity, Stanfield worked closely with each department throughout the hospital including mentoring nurses who were new to the field. Dr. Thresa Hardy, chief nursing officer and chief operating officer at UNC Health Rockingham, said, “Martha is a true example of servant leadership, and her impact will be felt for decades to come through the nurses she has mentored. Her compassion for her patients, families and teammates is palpable in every interaction.”
During her retirement ceremony, where the award was presented, President and CEO Steve Eblin hailed Stanfield as an institution in nursing and praised her dedication to the hospital. The many teammates gathered to celebrate her legacy described Stanfield as gentle but assertive, compassionate and forever pleasant in her role.
“Even in stressful situations Martha has been able to bring out the best in all of us and has seen us through challenging situations. I cannot think of a more positive image of nursing than the one Martha illustrates,” said fellow house nursing supervisor Ronnie Gibbs.
Stanfield shared, “Receiving the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award has come as a shock, but it is the honor of a lifetime to be recognized for a career that I have loved and adored. It means the world to me to be acknowledged for making a difference in the lives of my patients and teammates.”
The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died from complications of the autoimmune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) at the age of thirty-three. His family wanted a meaningful way to recognize and honor nurses who, like those caring for Patrick and his family, provide excellent clinical care while showing great compassion for their patients. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem. The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award was created to recognize those nurses who have devoted their life’s work to the compassionate care of others. Recipients of this award are nominated for their dedication to nursing through active mentoring, role modeling, advocating for their patients and promoting the positive image of nursing. They serve as a beacon of inspiration to those at all stages of their career and in the various and important roles of nursing.
To nominate a nurse for The DAISY Award at UNC Health Rockingham, visit www.uncrockingham.org/thank-a-caregiver.
Photo Caption: 1) The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Awardwas presented to Martha Stanfield, RN (right) by and Thresa Hardy, chief nursing officer and chief operating officer, during her recent retirement reception at UNC Health Rockingham.
UNC Health Rockingham is a nonprofit, 108-bed community hospital preserving excellent, compassionate and trusted care where it is needed most: close to home. As a cornerstone in Eden, N.C., and a major employer, UNC Health Rockingham serves people throughout Rockingham County and in neighboring Southern Virginia areas. In addition to inpatient, outpatient, surgical and emergency care, the hospital offers diagnostic and treatment services, provide screenings and tests and lead wellness initiatives. More information about UNC Health Rockingham may be found at uncrockingham.org.
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