I am nominating Jill Swinning for the DAISY award for her compassionate care of patients, her encouragement of other nurses to care for patients through her leadership on the PNS Recognition Committee, and role modeling care as a clinical instructor and CNS. This nomination is primarily about her leadership of the PNS Recognition Committee. Under her guidance, the committee has taken on additional responsibilities to recognize nurses and partners in care. She initiated having the committee nominate nurses for the Nursing Spectrum awards, and they have seen many of their nominees become finalists and winners. Those nurses who have had the privilege of being nominated have been deeply moved that their nomination has come not from a manager but from the staff nurses on the committee. She took over the annual certification recognition, hosting a reception to honor certified nurses. She led the committee in honoring assistive personnel with a special day for them and a new annual award. And finally, she put out tremendous effort to launch the DAISY Award, which has become a successful monthly means of encouraging nurses who demonstrate the essence of nursing—caring.
I believe that through her work as the chair of the committee, she has demonstrated this same caring essence of nursing. She cares so deeply about patient care that she wants to motivate other nurses by recognizing their work. Jill’s compassionate, positive spirit is an inspiration.