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UHHS -“Coming Up Daisy”
 The “Daisy Award” was developed in recognition of extraordinary nurses by a family in memory of their son, J. Patrick Barnes. While Patrick was ill, his family was awed by the skill, care and compassion of the nurses who cared for him. The resultant foundation was developed as a way to recognize the “unsung heroes," – nurses – for their education, training, brainpower, skill, and the care that goes into their daily work with patients.
The Daisy Award is presented in medical facilities throughout the United States on a regular basis. Nurses are nominated and selected based upon a “story” related to a patient experience. Each Daisy Award recipient receives a handsome certificate, signed by Mark Barnes of the Daisy Foundation and myself as the Nurse Executive for UHHS.
 They also receive a DAISY Award pin, a celebratory banner for the unit and a hand-carved Shona sculpture entitled “A Healer’s Touch.” The Shona serpentine sculptures are carved by artists in Zimbabwe. The artist’s renditions are especially meaningful as the Shona tribes revere their Shona healers who are regarded as treasures to the people that they serve and care for. The monies paid for the statues are sent back to Zimbabwe to help the artists and their families. Caring nurses are able to “reach around the world” through the DAISY Award Foundation.
In hospitals that have participated to date in this program, administrators state that as a recognition program, the DAISY Awards are “inspirational,” “an excellent tool for nurse retention” and “a mechanism to help develop role models” for other staff. Listen for those meaningful stories about a caring nurse who makes a difference; and, look for upcoming information on “How to” nominate a colleague or peer for the DAISY Award.
- Janet Harris, RN, MSN
System Chief Nurse Executive
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