Nursing faculty get the recognition they deserve

Many know for its clinical nurse recognition program. But the foundation also has a nurse faculty recognition program that deserves exactly what it promotes: more recognition.

Nursing schools across the U.S. are experiencing a shortage of nurse faculty, fueling the need for strategies like The DAISY Award program to retain and recruit nurses to academia, according to Deborah J. Jones, PhD, MSN, RN, senior vice president, dean and professor at the in Galveston. The issued a national Call for Nurse Faculty Recognition at a 2018 meeting to encourage schools and practice sites to honor nurse educators who are making real differences in their schools and the community, said Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN, AACN president and chief executive officer.

in clinical practice also is a problem for nurses in academia. “Nurse faculty today are under increasing pressure to balance their roles as educators, clinicians and researchers, as well as be nimble to meet the opportunities presented by an evolving healthcare system, diverse patient and student populations, advances in educational technology, shifts in learner expectations and the need to impact policy locally and beyond,” Trautman said. “Recruiting and retaining individuals who can thrive in the role is a challenge given the many hats they must wear and the expertise needed to succeed as a faculty leader.”

Jones said she is expanding UTMB’s DAISY faculty recognition program even though nurse faculty don't tend to expect recognition. “But it’s absolutely important to recognize faculty for the hard work and for the time they provide,” Jones said. “They’re the influencers of tomorrow, so it’s really important to recognize them in a meaningful way. Providing recognition to faculty, particularly through The DAISY Award, is a way to give them a little bit of charge to continue doing what they love to do.”

Deborah Trautman, RN

The DAISY Foundation Executive Director Cynthia D. Sweeney, MSN, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, said faculty to teach the next generation of nurses is vital for nursing to continue to be a robust profession. “If we don’t attend to the issues that are affecting faculty engagement, then we won’t have the faculty and therefore we won’t have the next generation of nurses,” Sweeney said. “We need to be proactive in communicating the value that our nursing faculty bring to the profession. Meaningful recognition, we know, is one of those ways.”

Cynthia D. Sweeney, RN

The recognition program's goal is to bring greater awareness of the need to recognize great faculty members, according to Sweeney. Schools of nursing, healthcare facilities and even alumni should consider sponsoring the DAISY Award for faculty, which cost $135 each. Anyone who comes into contact with faculty members, including peers, students, administrative staff, alumni and others can nominate faculty they feel are exemplary educators and role models. Nominations are blinded to eliminate bias, and often schools or facilities appoint committees that decide on DAISY award recipients based on the nominations. Faculty honorees receive a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty certificate signed by The DAISY Foundation and leaders at the sponsoring institution; a DAISY Faculty Award pin; a hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture; and an announcement on , which gives recipients international recognition. Individual schools and hospitals also recognize award recipients. UTMB School of Nursing recognizes DAISY faculty recipients at faculty assembly meetings, graduation ceremonies and highlights them in a weekly newsletter that reaches the UTMB community. “The DAISY Award in the clinical setting is globally recognized as a very prestigious honor," Sweeney said. "Nursing faculty deserve nothing less and should be considered for this significant recognition.”

Deborah J. Jones, RN