Annual Recognitions

The DAISY Foundation and the American Nurses Association’s Center for Ethics and Human Rights developed the national DAISY Awards for Nursing Ethics in Practice and Leadership in 2024 to recognize nurses whose leadership, compassion, and clinical practice demonstrate the importance of human values and ethics in nursing. Two awards – one for a clinician and one for a nurse leader- are presented during the National Nursing Ethics Conference.

Eligibility: Licensed nurses employed by DAISY Partner organizations or schools of nursing, including students and faculty, are eligible.

Criteria: The American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics for Nurses and The DAISY Foundation’s focus on extraordinary compassionate care are the hallmarks of the criteria for this annual recognition. Award reviewers will be looking for how your nomination describes the nominees’ commitment to compassion and the ethical standards as defined in the Code of Ethics for Nurses (To review, visit: https://codeofethics.ana.org/)

Read about past recipients here!

The Awards will be presented at the National Nursing Ethics Conference
April 16-17, 2026, in Los Angeles, CA
https://ethicsofcaring.org/

To Nominate: Click HERE

DEADLINE: December 31, 2025

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There is nothing more compassionate than creating policies to ensure broad access to safe, quality care, to addiction treatment, to palliative and end-of-life care, COVID treatment, and to protecting communities of color, plus more. Preventing domestic violence, increasing inclusion and equity, and creating communities of healing also reflect a society that is compassionate and caring for all.  

Nurses are often at the forefront of creating and driving policies that ensure a compassionate environment for individuals and communities. In 2020, the DAISY Foundation partnered with HealthImpact to create an award to honor nurses whose work advances compassionate care in policy.

Eligibility: Licensed nurses with any degree who have demonstrated work in policy, whether it is in their job description or done externally to the organization.

Criteria:

• The Nominee may or may not have policy development or oversight as a part of their job description.
• The Nominee’s policy change must have taken place in the last two years prior to the first day of the application opening for this award.
• Individual nurses or nurse-led teams are eligible for nomination.
• Policies that affect local, regional, national, or global populations through legislation, checklists, guidelines, regulations, standards of practice, etc. will be considered. Honorees will be chosen by a panel of reviewers whose expertise is relevant to advancing compassionate care in policy.

Read about past recipients here!

To nominate: Applications are now closed. Honorees will be notified in January 2026 and awarded at a national conference (location TBD) in June 2026.

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In collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, nurses at DAISY Award partner organizations are eligible to be nominated for The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in Patient Safety.

This annual award raises awareness of the significant contributions by nurses to patient and workforce safety. We encourage you to nominate Nurses and Nurse-led Teams for their commitment to patient and workforce safety in the delivery of compassionate care for patients and families.

Eligibility: Licensed nurses who are employed by DAISY Partner organizations.

Criteria: Two supporting documents from the Chief Nursing Officer and either a Nurse Manager or patient or family member who was cared for by the Nominee describing the impact of your Nominee on patient and/or workforce safety at the unit/department, organization, health system, or broader community level.

Read about past recipients here!

To nominate: Applications are now closed.

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The DAISY Magnet Program Director Award is designed to celebrate and recognize exemplary Magnet® Program Directors (MPDs) who demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment to promoting nursing excellence and improved patient outcomes. These individuals play a vital role in embedding the Magnet standards into mentoring others, innovating, implementing evidence-based practice, creating a culture of inquiry, and driving measurable improvements in outcomes. Through their sustained engagement and collaboration with the Magnet community, they serve as ambassadors of excellence, inspiring others and advancing the mission of Magnet.

Eligibility: 

• Must be a Magnet Program Director who is a nurse and comes from a Magnet-designated organization
• Must be attending ANCC Conference in October 2026

Criteria:

• Creates a Magnet Culture
• Collaborates
• Builds a Culture of Accountability
• Encourages Benchmarking & Storytelling

Nomination form opening in February 2026!

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The DAISY PPD Award is designed to celebrate and recognize exemplary Pathway Program Directors (PPDs) who demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment to fostering positive practice environments. These individuals play a vital role in embedding Pathway Standards into organizational culture, mentoring others, sharing knowledge broadly, and driving measurable improvements in outcomes. Through their sustained engagement and collaboration with the Pathway Program community, they serve as ambassadors of excellence, inspiring others and advancing the mission of the Pathway to Excellence journey.

Eligibility: 

• Must be a Magnet Program Director who is a nurse and comes from a Pathway-designated organization
• Must be attending ANCC Conference in October 2026

Criteria:

• Living Pathway and Sustaining Culture
• Dissemination of Knowledge  
• Mentorship
• Demonstrated Improvements

Nomination form opening in February 2026!

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