The Daisy Award

The DAISY Award is a recognition program to celebrate and recognize nurses by collecting nominations from patients, families, and co-workers. It is run by their partners as a way to thank nurses for the care and kindness they provide.

Any licensed, registered nurse, nursing faculty or nursing student is eligible to be nominated for a DAISY Award. DAISY partners with healthcare facilities across the continuum of care – large health systems, clinics, long-term care facilities, surgery centers, critical access/rural hospitals, schools of nursing, and more. Their recognition programs express gratitude to nurses wherever they practice, in whatever role they serve, and throughout their careers – from nursing student through lifetime achievement.

Nurses can be nominated by anyone. In the healthcare setting, nominations come from patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, clinicians, or staff – who experience or observe extraordinarily compassionate care being provided by a nurse. In the academic setting, nominations are submitted by students, preceptors, faculty, staff, or alumni.

The nominations are blinded and sent to an internal committee at the participating organization. The committee reads and scores the nominations using criteria that focus on compassion and fit the mission and values of each organization that partners with DAISY. Honorees are selected throughout the year to provide continuous celebration of extraordinary nurses. Schools of Nursing usually present once or twice a year based on graduation, pinning ceremony, or convocation schedules.

After the DAISY Honoree has been selected, a celebration is planned. The Honoree’s peers, leadership, nominator, and sometimes friends and family are all invited to attend. At the presentation, the Honoree receives a certificate in a DAISY portfolio, a beautiful hand-carved Healer’s Touch Sculpture from Zimbabwe, an Honoree pin, a congratulations banner to hang in the unit (optional for schools of nursing), a copy of their nomination, a gift bag, and cinnamon rolls to share. After the presentation, the Honoree is added to their website, and the nurse is then eligible for numerous professional development, education, and wellness benefits.