Testimonials

We get so many beautiful emails and letters describing what The DAISY Award means to our Hospital Partners and DAISY Nurses. Here is a sampling of them:

I just wanted to share with her how important the Daisy award is.....what we get in nominations brings tears to the eyes of staff who help us review them. At the presentations, there isn't a dry eye in the room....yet nurses don't see what they do as "special". Consistently they say it's just what they do, not unusual. Your award lets them KNOW it is special. Thank you so much for creating the Daisy award! Our staff are touched by it!

Cheryl Meyer, MSN, RN, CCRN
Director, Nursing Education & Research
Magnet Program Coordinator

I truly believe that this was the most powerful and meaningful recognition I have seen nurses receive in my 40 years in nursing.

Linda Leavell, RN, PhD
Director of Operations, National Patient Care Services
Kaiser Permanente

I wanted to express my sincere thanks for your support of Alameda County Medical Center today with the implementation of the DAISY Award. Today represented one of the most rewarding moments of my career as I observed the faces of our staff and the impact that this recognition initiative has on our nursing ranks. Many thanks and best wishes.

Wright Lassiter, Chief Executive Officer
Alameda County Medical Center

"At our hospital, there is already a strong caring base. We start every meeting with a story of caring. With the addition of The DAISY Award, we are never without a caring story. All the nominations come to me first before I send them to the Council that runs the program. I carry them around in a notebook so I always have a story. DAISY fits our philosophy and Jean Watson’s Caring Theory perfectly." -Jennifer Blank, RN, Assistant Vice President, Winter Haven Hospital

There was so much positive feedback from our first ceremony that the momentum for nominees has continued. We had over 50 nominees for June…. We are so fortunate to have this program at ACH!

RETIRED
Christie Berner, RN, MSN
Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Arkansas Children’s Hospital

"The DAISY Award is a tremendous morale booster. To be rewarded for compassionate care, as opposed to being rewarded for a new degree or an academic achievement, is very special." -Nancy Pappas, RN, Awards and Recognition Coordinator, Morristown Memorial Hospital

I have to tell you how thrilled I am that we have been involved with the DAISY Award & Foundation. I have been so fortunate to attend most all of the presentations to the nurses who have received them. You put it so well, that they are often surprised that they are being acknowledged for what they see that they do every day. My staff nurses are my own every day heroes. The DAISY Award instills pride, improves morale and allows the important stories of nurses to be told. What you … have been able to accomplish is no less than phenomenal. I think you are Patrick's earth angels to carry a very important message and mission. I am so proud that we have been associated with the DAISY Foundation.... Forever, I am willing to continue to support this effort in any way. Thank you for being a part of our MCH life, and I wish you only so many more good things for the future.

Jackie Gonzales, ARNP, MSN, CNAA,BC, FAAN
Senior Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer
Miami Children’s Hospital

Our DAISY celebration surpassed all of my wishes... The staff stayed around and visited with one another for a long time. Their families were so proud of them. It was truly a beautiful event, and it is all because of the wonderful foundation that you have started. Thank you for allowing us to be part of this special journey!

Rose Brandau, RN, MSN
Assistant Administrator/Chief Nurse Executive
Carolinas Medical Center-University

"The DAISY Award emphasizes the professionalism of the Registered Nurse. It reinforces the autonomy of nursing practice and how powerful each nurse’s action is on people’s lives. It is a reminder to me of why I'm here. When I hear the nomination stories, it makes me so proud and really connects me back to the staff." -Heidi Crooks, RN,MA, CNO & Senior Associate Director Operations and Patient Care Services, UCLA Health System

It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with … you and the phenomenal DAISY Foundation you represent. The DAISY Award has truly been a remarkable and very special nursing recognition that continues to draw out the best in terms of acknowledging the caring and compassion of our so very deserving “super-heroes”. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for imprinting this legacy on our organization.

Lynne Hedrick, RN, MS, CNAA
Outgoing Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services
The Children’s Hospital of Denver

It was a SUCCESS. The only problem is deciding how to top the 1st event . Thanks so much for this program, the nurses loved it and I could see the enthusiasm and respect from other departments.

Bridget Leonard, RN, MSN
Program Manager, Magnet Recognition
Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan

What an honor to be a recipient of The DAISY Award. Thank you for making this happen for so many nurses in memory of J. Patrick. You must feel his love and spirit each time a nurse is acknowledged by your hard work and benevolence in memory of him. You have brightened my day, my week, my years by your kindness. I treasure this day, I treasure your gifts.

Thank you for all you do for ITP (and other diseases), the artist community in Zimbabwe, and for what you do for nurses around the country. You are angels on earth.

Laura Euphrat, RN
California Pacific Medical Center

"The ceremonies create a wonderful sense of collegiality for all our staff. There is such a sense of pride, especially when we hang the banner. There is usually an arm wrestling match when we try to take it down. Even patients love to have their pictures taken in front of the banner. For me as a nurse executive, The DAISY Award helps me understand some of the great things nurses are doing every day that I might not know about otherwise. It helps me identify some stars I might have missed. And, as I attend every presentation, it’s one more opportunity for me to be visible to my staff." -Kathleen Jose, MS, RN, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President, Lahey Clinic

As a recent recipient of the DAISY Award, I am writing to thank you and let you know how much this honor means to me. As a pediatric nurse with the Children's Hospital of Denver for the past 26+ years I have received many awards, recognition and acknowledgment for the work that I do. The DAISY Award came at a time when I thought I had achieved it all. I am so privileged and honored to be recognized for what I truly love to do. Caring for others is all I have ever known. Reading about Patrick and the motivations behind the DAISY Award is simply what all nurses would like to be recognized for. I thank Patrick for being the inspiration, and I thank the DAISY Foundation for making me feel even more wonderful for the work that I do. I plan to be in the profession of nursing for many years to come and look forward to celebrating with others this truly wonderful honor.

I would also like to add that the sculpture brought me to tears it is so beautiful, significant and will be cherished for years by myself and my family.

Thank you again and again.

Pam Struthers RN
The Children's Hospital of Denver

"The staff is extremely engaged in the process. It is a very nice way to give recognition without my having to think about it as the staff has everything all set up when I get to the presentation on the unit. Our leaders always leave DAISY Award presentations with a sense of goose bumps." -Nancy Ray, MA, RN, Senior Vice President, Associate Administrator, Chief Nursing Officer, University Health System-San Antonio

I work for the Maintenance Department at St. Helena Hospital, and I was fortunate enough to attend today’s DAISY Award presentation. I gotta tell you how much I enjoyed it and how impressed I am with your profound and sincere appreciation for the work our nurses do every day. You guys get it!

I’ve worked for St. Helena Hospital over 20 years. I like it there because we have a Mission Statement that guides us in every aspect of our business. We’re not about making a profit or increasing sales or driving up our stock price. Everything we do, we do because it helps people. We’re about providing healing and comfort and dignity. Our nurses do the “heavy lifting” in all of it. All the stuff you guys said at the ceremony this afternoon rang true to me.

I’m not the only one who was blown away by the DAISY Award. People all over the hospital were talking about it all afternoon. I’ve rarely seen such an infusion of optimism that spread so quickly around this place. I hope you can come back to St. Helena for our future DAISY Award parties.

Scott Sandin
St.Helena Hospital

"Instead of having nominations, we have nurses tell their own stories about how they have made a difference. It was a little awkward at first-some even thought it wasn't being humble. It has been truly phenomenal for us. We are used to hearing the stories about bad things that have happened but The DAISY Award helps us get in touch with hearing the good things no one ever talks about." -Deborah Ford, RN, VP of Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Baton Rouge, LA

We are as excited about our DAISY program as we were when we first began, 2 years ago! At our last presentation to a KRMC nurse of 20+ years, our DAISY recipient teared up as she quietly said, "This is the most prestigious, honored award a nurse can get." We thoroughly agree.

Robin Lange
Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer
Kalispell Regional Medical Center

"Recognizing your nurses with The DAISY Award is both meaningful and important because it gets to the real heart of nursing. It demonstrates not just the accomplishments of nurses but who nurses truly are." -Ruthie Robinson, RN, PhD, FAEN, CEN, Director Center for Nursing Innovation, CHRISTUS Hospital - Beaumont

I am one of the first three to ever reach this award in our hospital and in St Louis. I cannot tell you how surprised and pleased I was to receive this award after being a Labor and Delivery nurse for over 38 years. I'm particularly proud that a patient nominated me. I would just like to compliment the family for creating such a wonderful tribute to nurses. Sure beats the coffee cups and t-shirts that we usually get from the hospital. It obviously had a lot of thought put into it.

Thanks also for honoring the "team" of nurses with whom I work. They loved the cinnamon rolls and are looking forward to the banner.

And to top the whole thing off, my daughter is a hospice nurse and really able to appreciate the quality of this award. Aren't I lucky! I drove by and showed it to her on the way home from work that day. I also called my husband at work and my mother who lives 200 miles away from St Louis. What a ball I have had!

So I will think of J Patrick Barnes when I look at my statue and remember his story and all the good things I read about him. What an honor I have received. Thanks for creating this award.

Barbara J Ilges, RN, BSN
St. Luke’s Hospital
Chesterfield, MO

"A key benefit of The DAISY Award is that it is a formalized and systematic program. The presentations are always scheduled so the CNO can attend. Marketing and hospital directors and other staff attend as well. We make sure to ‘whoop it up’ and have a great time! The DAISY Presentations are always a joyous time for our staff and we can guarantee 99% of the time, there will be tears! We also include The DAISY Award Honoree in our CEO recap, which is a newsletter for leadership, staff and the board." -Kristin Sims, RN-C, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer, Oaklawn Hospital

Patrick’s wings are lifting many a weary nurse’s spirits. Thank you for The DAISY Award.

Teresa Whitfield, RN
Mercy San Juan Medical Center
Sacramento, CA

"At our hospital we have a lot of recognition programs but the strength of DAISY is that it pulls from the bedside and provides evidence of what nurses do for patient care on a daily basis.The greatest impact is on the DAISY Honoree and the whole team they work with. The presentations are always tearful and joyous. This is how DAISY is unique - it gets to the core of what nursing is, really drives the caring profession." -Catherine Tolbert, RN, MSN, NE-BC, FACHE, Senior VP of Nursing, Chief Nursing Officer, Humility of Mary Health Partners