AMORY, Mississippi – North Mississippi Medical Center Gilmore-Amory recently recognized Outpatient Surgery nurse Lola Stanford with a DAISY Award.

Stanford was nominated by a patient who was very nervous about a surgical procedure.

“I thank the good Lord for sweet Mrs. Lola; she was literally an angel and eased my racing mind from the moment she began caring for me,” the patient wrote. “She is one of the best nurses and kindest humans I have ever met. I think the world would be a better place with more nurses like her in it.”

She joined the Amory hospital staff in 1992 as a nursing supervisor. She transferred to the Surgery department during her first year with the hospital. She worked as a circulating nurse in the operating room for 10 years before transferring to Outpatient Surgery, where she has worked for 20 years.

“The best parts of my job are the patients I take care of every day and my work family,” Stanford said.

She graduated from Hatley High School. In 1973, she earned an associate degree in nursing from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus. She is certified in Basic Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support.

Stanford and her husband, Bobby, have been married for 50 years. They have two children, Eric Stanford and Emily Tidwell, and five grandchildren.

She has been a member of New Hope Primitive Baptist Church in Hatley since she was 6 years old.

Stanford received a certificate, DAISY Award pin, bouquet of flowers and a hand-carved stone sculpture titled A Healer’s Touch. The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary compassionate and skillful care given by nurses every day. For more information, call (662) 377-3431 or email daisyawards@nmhs.net.