Click on a topic below to jump to that section.
Nominating a Nurse
For Organizations Interested in DAISY/ How DAISY is Run
Honoree Benefits, Replacement Items, and More
FAQs from DAISY Coordinators
Nominating a Nurse
- Who can nominate a nurse?
Anyone may submit a nomination - patients, patient family members, co-workers, physicians, staff - anyone who experiences or observes extraordinary compassionate care being provided to a patient by a nurse.
- How do I nominate my nurse?
To nominate a nurse, click here, locate the organization where the nurse works (we recommend starting by searching by state), and complete the nomination form. Most organizations also have paper nomination forms on site. Once completed, your nomination will be sent to their on-site DAISY coordinator who will blind the nomination and present it to their committee for review.
- I don’t see the organization where my nurse works on the list. Can I still nominate them for a DAISY Award?
Sometimes the names or organizations may be challenging to differentiate or locate. Please contact your regional team if you do not see the facility where your nurse works on this list. Be sure to let them know the organization's full name, city, and state. They'll let you know if we partner with the organization and can therefore facilitate your nomination.
- When will my nurse receive my nomination?
It depends. The number of DAISY Awards a partner presents annually is based on the number of nurses the facility has on staff. For example, a large facility might present several DAISY Awards a month, while a small, rural facility might present only one DAISY Award per year. Your nurse will be notified of your nomination based on the celebration frequency of his/her facility.
- Will I be notified when my nurse receives my nomination or The DAISY Award?
Many of our healthcare partners will notify the nominator if the nurse they nominated is selected and invite you to the celebration if you provide your contact information. Not all facilities do this, so if you would like to be connected with the onsite DAISY Coordinator for more information, please reach out to your regional program team for assistance. Please note that depending on the presentation schedule, this notification can take between a few weeks and a year.
For Organizations Interested in DAISY/ How DAISY is Run
If you are interested in bringing DAISY to your organization, please complete this form and we’ll be in touch shortly with more information.
- What is The DAISY Award?
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) - to honor the super-human work nurses do for patients and families every day. In creating The DAISY Award, there were four elements we wanted to ensure our recognition program included:
- A partnership with healthcare organizations to provide ongoing recognition of the clinical skill and especially the compassion nurses provide to patients and families all year long.
- A program enabling all nurses to have the opportunity to be recognized, with a selection process that is transparent, unbiased, and fair.
- Guided implementation and ongoing support where DAISY provides most of the materials for the program.
- Flexibility so that The DAISY Award may be tailored to each organization’s unique culture and values. - Why is DAISY always all capital letters?
Patrick had Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an auto-immune disease. So his wife, Tena (DAISY Co-founder and Vice President) came up with the acronym DAISY, standing for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem. We always use all caps to indicate the acronym and because it is our brand. Thank you for including your marketing department in your DAISY program to keep our brand standards consistent. - Who is eligible for The DAISY Award?
All licensed nurses, including LPN/LVNs, are eligible for The DAISY Award. - Who generally runs the program in the organization?
The CNO generally assigns this program to a team who will enthusiastically steer it and tailor it to fit your mission and values as a healthcare organization. Two people will lead the team, known as DAISY Coordinators. The team may be either an existing committee (e.g., Shared Governance Professional Practice Council, Recruitment/Retention Committee, etc.) or a committee dedicated to implementing The DAISY Award. If you have a marketing person on staff, we suggest he or she work closely with the DAISY team to launch the program. Other committee considerations include staff nurses, patient experience leaders, patient advocates, nurse educators, HR representatives, or someone from the ministry. - How is a nurse chosen to receive The DAISY Award?
A DAISY Award is given to a deserving nurse of your choice based on criteria you establish to meet your organization’s mission and values. Your DAISY Committee will develop the criteria and score the nominations after they have been blinded. The DAISY Award was established to celebrate the extraordinary compassion nurses provide their patients and families daily; so we ask that your program be a merit-based award that honors not only great clinical skill and leadership but especially strong patient care and compassion. - Can we celebrate more than one nurse at a time?
If you have two great stories, or If you have a compelling story of two or three nurses having done something wonderful for a patient that you consider worthy of The DAISY Award, please do give it to them. Each nurse should receive the entire Award package, and each can be registered on our website with an individual page. In situations like this, you may also want to consider giving them a DAISY Team Award. Click here for more information. - What does the nurse selected for The DAISY Award receive?
- A certificate held in a handsome portfolio, proclaiming the recipient an "Extraordinary Nurse."
- A DAISY Award pin (We’ve learned that nurses love to wear pins on their I.D. badges!)
- A unique, hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture from Zimbabwe entitled "A Healer's Touch." Click here for more about these beautiful works of art.
- A Spotlight page on our website featuring a photo and telling the story of why this nurse was honored.
- Numerous professional development, education, and wellness benefits. View the full list here.
We ask that all the nurses and staff in the recipient's unit are treated to cinnamon rolls or cinnamon treats at every presentation. The reason? When Patrick was in the hospital, he had lost his appetite. One day his father came in with a cinnamon roll, and Patrick ended up eating the whole thing. He then requested that his parents bring cinnamon rolls again the next day and requested enough for all the nurses in the unit.
Our message to every nurse present: whenever you smell that wonderful cinnamon aroma, stop for a minute and think of how special you are because you are a nurse. You may take for granted the things you do for your patients, but they surely do not.
Each DAISY Award facility also receives a large celebratory banner that is hung in the recipient's unit for a month, generating very positive conversations about the special role nurses play in patient care.
The presentation generally takes place in the nurse’s unit, often as a surprise to the Honoree. - What about the nurses who were nominated but weren't selected to receive the DAISY Award?
Every nomination is meaningful recognition for the nurse who receives it from a grateful patient, family member, or co-worker. Receiving a copy of their nomination, nurses understand the impact they have had on the person who wrote the nomination and the difference they have made. They also receive a special DAISY Nominee pin and a note from their leadership. This is a great way to recognize the special work a nurse does, help build awareness of The DAISY Award in your organization, and most importantly, ensure that meaningful recognition goes on in your organization all year long. - What is the cost of The DAISY Award?
It depends. Each location that partners with us decides on their annual schedule and how many DAISY Awards they will present. That number is based on how many nurses are on staff. For example, a large facility might present several Awards per month, while others may only present once a year. The cost will be based on the number of Awards that are appropriate for your location. To receive a recommendation and quote, please complete this form, and we’ll be in touch shortly. - I am interested in implementing DAISY at my facility. What are the next steps?
It’s easy! Please complete this form, and we’ll be in touch shortly with more information.
For DAISY Honorees/ Recipients
- What is the difference between being a DAISY Award Honoree and a DAISY Award Nominee?
DAISY Award Honorees are the nurses nominated for The DAISY Award by a patient, patient family, or coworker and selected by their committee to receive the DAISY Award based on pre-established criteria. They are presented with The DAISY Award at a special ceremony, where they receive a certificate in a portfolio, Healer's Touch Sculpture, Honoree Pin, Gift Bag, Cinnamon Rolls to share with the unit, and a banner hung in celebration. They are then registered on our website as a DAISY Honoree and have a spotlight page created just for them.
DAISY Award Nominees are nurses nominated for the Award by a patient, patient family member, or coworker for providing extraordinary care. The nomination was scored against criteria by the DAISY Committee but was not selected as the recipient of The DAISY Award. Though they were not selected, their impact on their nominator is clear. Every nurse who is nominated deserves to be recognized! DAISY Nominees are celebrated with a copy of the nomination, a nominee pin, and a thank you card from the leadership team. - I received the DAISY Award; how do I check to see if I am registered on the website and have a spotlight page?
It's easy! Click here to find out if you are registered by searching our database. - I don’t see myself registered on the website; what can I do to be added?
Your onsite DAISY Coordinator is in charge of ensuring you are registered with us. Please connect with them and ask them to have you added to our website. If you aren’t sure who your Coordinator is, please email your regional team. Be sure to let them know your organization's full name, city, and state so they can connect you with the correct person. - Do I need to log in to The Resource Center to access my benefits?
There is no need to log into The Resource Center as a DAISY Honoree. The Resource Center is for our on-site DAISY Coordinators who run the program at their organization. It holds our logos, graphics, marketing materials, and more.
- I want to learn more about my benefits as an Honoree- how can I do that?
Click here to see a full list of your benefits. Remember to check back often, as we may have new opportunities available! - I want to use my benefits and apply for an ANCC certification at the discounted rate, but I need the instructions. How do I receive them? Instructions for receiving the discounted certificate rate where emailed to you with your spotlight notification. If you need another copy, please email your regional team for assistance.
- I need a replacement pin or Healer’s Touch Sculpture; where can I order one?
Click here to order a replacement pin or sculpture.
For DAISY Partner Organizations
- I need more DAISY materials; where do I go?
The Resource Center has everything you need to run your DAISY Program, including nomination form templates, logos, graphics, and our order forms.
- I’m having trouble logging into the Resource Center. Who can help?
Please email JacquelinePark@DAISYFoundation.org for assistance accessing the Resource Center.
- Who is my regional contact?
Click here to find your contact by state.