DAISY Foundation Co-Founder Bonnie Barnes shares a personal thank-you to Prolink DAISY honorees and the story behind the DAISY name.
In addition to Nurses Month, May 2024 marks the one-year anniversary of Prolink's partnership with the DAISY Foundation. Prolink's DAISY recognition program began in May 2023, and one year, 12 honorees, and 51 nominations later, the partnership is still going strong. The two organizations came together to recognize nurses for their compassionate care and extraordinary clinical skills. In the spirit of Recognition, the first weekly theme of Nurses Month 2024, this article will dive deeper into the history of the DAISY Foundation, what it takes to be a DAISY nurse, and what Prolink leaders have taken away from one year of recognizing exceptional care.
What is the DAISY Foundation?
Established in 1999, the DAISY Foundation is an international recognition program intended to thank nurses for the exceptional care they provide to patients and families. The foundation was established by the family of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at age 33 from the autoimmune disease ITP (Immune Thrombocytopenia). Patrick's family was so impressed and moved by the care his nurses provided, they founded the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in his memory. The acronym DAISY stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, named for the type of disease that took Patrick's life. Today, the DAISY Award has been adopted by thousands of healthcare organizations around the world--including Prolink.
Recognizing exceptional nurses
Prolink's DAISY honorees are selected from nominations submitted by their patients, facility leaders, recruiters, CRMs, and fellow nurses. Nominations are made on behalf of nurses who consistently demonstrate patient care excellence through clinical expertise, leadership, and compassionate care. Prolink's DAISY Committee then selects one honoree per month out of the pool of nominations.
"I am honored to co-lead the DAISY award committee for Prolink," said Nicole Maciejewski, MSN, RN, SCRN, Clinical Talent Experience Manager at Prolink. "I love sharing the story of Patrick Barnes and his family’s appreciation for the compassion and care of nurses ... I love having the opportunity to surprise our nurses and show them that their efforts have made a longstanding impression."
What DAISY nurses receive
Each DAISY honoree receives the following items in recognition of their accomplishment:
-Certificate. An official DAISY certificate proclaiming the recipient an "Extraordinary Nurse."
-Pin. Patrick Barnes noticed nurses’ penchant for pins, so DAISY honorees receive a special pin to wear with pride.
-The Healers Touch Sculpture. The official DAISY Award statuette, hand-sculpted in Zimbabwe by the artist who created the design. It represents the bond between nurses and their patients.
-Cinnamon rolls. Despite Patrick's lack of appetite during his illness, he couldn’t resist eating a fresh cinnamon roll. DAISY provides winning nurses and their teams with cinnamon rolls to honor his memory.
The criteria: What makes a DAISY nurse
Prolink's DAISY Committee uses the acronym PETALS to define its criteria for selecting DAISY honorees. Since every DAISY has PETALS, every DAISY nurse must possess the following qualities:
-Patient advocate
-Empathetic and compassionate
-Trustworthy—always acting in patients’, families’, and/or peers’ best interests
-Attention to detail that exceeds patients’, families’, and/or peers’ expectations
-Leadership skills, such as organization, critical thinking, and prioritization
-Steadfast—the ability to stay calm and reliable in chaotic situations
Nominate a Prolink nurse for the DAISY Award
Year one was just the beginning—Prolink's DAISY Foundation partnership is still going strong into its second year. Have a deserving nurse in mind that you want to nominate? Visit the Prolink DAISY Award page now for more information on the nomination process. The Prolink DAISY Committee is always accepting nominations for exceptional nurses!
To learn more about the DAISY Foundation, click below to visit its website.
