As Patrick’s family, we brainstormed what to do in his memory. We vividly recalled the skillful and compassionate care Patrick received from his nurses during his eight-week hospitalization. We wanted to say “thank you” to nurses everywhere by establishing a recognition program, The DAISY Award
For Extraordinary Nurses (The DAISY Award). Through this and other recognition programs, we honor the super-human work nurses do for patients and families every day.
In creating The DAISY Award, there were three elements we wanted to ensure our recognition program included:
- A partnership with healthcare organizations to provide on-going recognition of the clinical skill and especially the compassion nurses provide to patients and families all year long.
- Guided implementation and on-going support where DAISY provides most of the materials for the program.
- Flexibility so that The DAISY Award may be tailored to each hospital’s unique culture and values.
The DAISY Award Today
We never imagined when we created this program in 1999 that today, there would be over 5,400 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing in all 50 states and 35 other countries and territories, committed to honoring nurses with The DAISY Award. The strategic impact of the program on nurses and their organizations is deep, affecting nurses' job satisfaction, retention, teamwork, pride, organizational culture, healthy work environment, and more.
Nurses are nominated by anyone in the organization - patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians and staff - anyone who experiences or observes extraordinary compassionate care being provided by a nurse.
For details about how the program works, read our Frequently Asked Questions and take a look at our Introduction to The DAISY Award presentation.
How do organizations embed The DAISY Award in their cultures? Read an exemplar: Supporting Recognition of Clinical Nurses with The DAISY Award (Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA) and view these examples: Henry Ford Hospital - Detroit and Ideas to Celebrate DAISY throughout the year.
Please read the testimonials of DAISY Coordinators who run the program and nurses who have been honored with The DAISY Award by going to our Testimonials page.
DAISY Recognition Offerings, Opportunities and Benefits
As we have grown, so has our gratitude to nurses and our recognition offerings. DAISY is dedicated to recognizing nurses for the compassionate care they provide no matter where they practice, in whatever role they serve, throughout their careers. Facility partners may add to their on-going individual nurse recognition program with the our Team Award, Nurse Leader Award, Health Equity Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Faculty Award or Student Award.
Additionally, there are numerous benefits and additional opportunities to DAISY Honorees such as reduced tuition, conference scholarships, special rates on certification, just to name a few.
Click on any topic below to learn more.
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Key DAISY Nurse Benefits:Grants:
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Why Do Nurses Say, "I didn't do anything special?"
We are always taken aback by the humility of nurses who receive The DAISY Award because of an extraordinary act of compassion or a relationship they have created with a patient that truly made a difference. So often, these DAISY Honorees respond to their recognition with, "But I didn't do anything special. I was just doing my job." We want to help nurses see in themselves what their patients, families, and colleagues see in them and to help them learn the behaviors that make such a powerful difference. Because of this, we co-authored an article with Mary Koloroutis, MSN, RN, President of Creative Health Care Management, entitled Inspiring Nurses to See the Extraordinary in Their Ordinary. We hope you will enjoy reading it!
Click here to ask for more information about The DAISY Award for your organization.
Do You Want to Nominate a Nurse for The DAISY Award?
If you have been the recipient of extraordinary care by a nurse and would like to nominate her or him, please click here to find your location and be directed to their nomination form.