The DAISY Foundation

The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died of complications of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) at the age of 33. DAISY is an acronym for diseases attacking the immune system.

During Pat’s eight week hospitalization, his family was amazed by the care and compassion his nurses provided not only to Pat, but to everyone in his family. One of the goals they set in creating a Foundation in Pat’s memory was to recognize extraordinary nurses everywhere who make an enormous difference in the lives of so many people with the incredible work they do everyday.

What is The DAISY Award?

The DAISY Award is an international program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses everyday.

Each DAISY Award Honoree will be recognized at a public ceremony in her/his unit and will receive: a beautiful certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved stone sculpture entitled A Healer’s Touch.

Who is eligible for The DAISY Award?

Anyone can nominate a nurse for The DAISY Award. The DAISY Award Committee selects one nurse who exemplifies the following characteristics:

• Made a special connection with the patient and their family
• Went above and beyond expectations
• Significantly affected the patient's clinical outcomes
• Included the patient and their family in an ongoing plan of care
• Included the patient and their family in education and discharge preparations, answering all questions in a way that was easy to understand
• Included other healthcare team members if he/she could not answer questions or resolve any issues