The Importance of The DAISY Awards in Nursing

In addition to their clinical responsibilities, nurses provide emotional support to patients and their families—offering comfort and empathy during difficult times. Their expertise and dedication make a huge difference in the lives of patients and their families. One family was so moved by the compassionate nursing care they experienced that they created The DAISY Foundation^TM and The DAISY Awards^®. More than 20 years later, The DAISY Foundation remains a leader in nurse recognition, and Chamberlain University is a proud foundation partner. 

Why was The DAISY Foundation created?

In 1999, 33-year-old Patrick Barnes discovered blood blisters in his mouth. After a visit to the doctor revealed that he had a dangerously low platelet count, he was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with ITP, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, an autoimmune disease.
Patrick was hospitalized for eight weeks. During those difficult days, his family respected and appreciated the excellent clinical care that Patrick received. But they were absolutely astonished by the compassion and kindness that the nurses showed each day. 
“The way they informed and educated us eased our minds, and their sensitivity to what we were going through made a great difference in our experience in the hospital,” says Patrick’s father, Mark Barnes, on the DAISY Foundation site. “They truly helped us through the darkest hours of our lives, with soft voices of hope and strong loving hugs that to this day, we still feel.”¹
Unfortunately, Patrick passed away. Mark, Bonnie (Patrick’s stepmother) and Tena (Patrick’s wife) wanted to do something to honor Patrick’s life. Tena came up the acronym DAISY: Diseases Attacking the Immune System, and the family filed the paperwork to create a nonprofit organization. The DAISY Foundation was created with a mission to “express gratitude to nurses with programs that recognize them for the extraordinary compassionate, skillful care they provide patients and families.”¹

What are The DAISY Awards?

The Barnes family wanted patients, families and co-workers to be able to share their gratitude for nurses who offer exceptional care. They created The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to do just that. When patients or families nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award, they’re able to express their gratitude for the care received. Nurses who are nominated for a DAISY Award are often surprised. They even say, “I was just doing my job!” The DAISY Award process helps nurses recognize the incredible level of care they provide, which increases their pride and satisfaction in their job. That joy spreads, reminding nurses of why they became nurses, and celebrating the wonderful work nurses do each and every day.

DAISY Award nominees get a copy of their nomination and a recognition pin. DAISY Award winners receive a variety of benefits, including the opportunity to receive conference scholarships, reduced rates on American Nurses Credentialing Center certification, and medical mission grants .

How has Chamberlain partnered with The DAISY Foundation?

Better nursing education means better patient care. Just as Chamberlain focuses on graduating extraordinary nurses who are empowered to transform healthcare, DAISY is focused on transforming healthcare by recognizing extraordinary nurses. Together, we belong to something greater.

As a proud partner of The DAISY Foundation, Chamberlain offers every DAISY Award winner the opportunity to embrace a lifetime of learning through a reduced tuition rate at Chamberlain University. The Chamberlain DAISY Honoree Scholarship can be applied to the following nursing degree and certificate programs:

• RN to BSN Online Degree Completion Program
• RN-BSN to MSN Degree Program
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Degree Program
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degree Program
• Nursing Graduate Certificate Programs

The DAISY Awards Today

Today, more than 5,400 healthcare facilities worldwide participate in The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Additionally, DAISY Awards have been created for nursing faculty—because if not for nursing educators, where would the nursing profession be?—and for nursing students, to celebrate their commitment to compassionate care. For DAISY consideration, nursing students must demonstrate above-and-beyond care for patients and their families, advocate for their patients, possess excellent clinical skills, work as valued team members, and strive to improve patient care. 

During Nurses Month, Chamberlain announces its DAISY Award winners! To nominate a Chamberlain faculty member or student for a DAISY award, visit www.daisyfoundation.org/request-information-about-academic-awards.

Chamberlain is honored to partner with The DAISY Foundation to recognize the skill, compassion and kindness of nurses, nursing students and nurse educators.

Chamberlain University, an accredited institution, offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral and certificate programs in nursing and healthcare professions. With a growing network of campuses and robust online programs, Chamberlain continues to build on more than 135 years of excellence in preparing extraordinary healthcare professionals.

Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post graduate APRN certificate programs at Chamberlain University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, (https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE).

¹Source: http://www.daisyfoundation.org/about-us

By Chamberlain University