10 benefits you may not know about DAISY

Membership has its privileges for DAISY nurses and partner organizations

By Linda Childers

EDITOR'S NOTE: Linda Childers is a freelance writer.

Recognizing outstanding nurses and their commitment to patient care is The DAISY Foundation’s mission. The DAISY Awards® program is known to be an inspirational and meaningful way to recognize nurses, while increasing morale, said Cynthia Sweeney, DNP, RN, CNOR, NEA-BC, FAAN, vice president for nursing, The DAISY Foundation and Capt. (ret.), U.S. Navy Nurse Corps.

The DAISY Foundation works to recognize and celebrate the exemplary work of nurses from students to those approaching retirement. Sweeney says that by partnering with hospitals and other healthcare organizations, the foundation makes it easy to honor nurses, nurse leaders, nurse-led teams and nursing faculty and students that go above and beyond.

DAISY Award recipients are recognized in a public ceremony within their workplace or school and receive a certificate, a DAISY award pin and a hand-carved stone sculpture from Zimbabwe entitled “A Healer’s Touch.” The nurse honoree’s unit also receives cinnamon rolls. Also, nurses who show their i.d. badges at Cinnabon locations during National Nurses Week receive a free cinnamon roll.

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1. Appreciation for skillful and compassionate care

3. Recognition for patient safety

Promoting compassionate care and patient safety is the goal for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Five years ago, the National Patient Safety Foundation began a partnership with DAISY to award nurses who place a special emphasis on patient and workforce safety. Now that NPSF has merged with IHI, this award is presented at IHI Patient Safety Congress each spring. DAISY Award or DAISY Team Award honorees from the previous year are eligible to be nominated for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in Patient Safety, presented in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and sponsored by Hill-Rom. The 2020 call for nominations is open through Jan. 15, 2020. Contact The DAISY Foundation or check its website for more details.

In addition to the DAISY Awards, Sweeney said the foundation and its partners believe in supporting nurses and their career advancement. One partner, Cherokee Medical Uniforms, is offering a conference scholarship program to support the professional advancement of DAISY honorees. Ten DAISY honoree nurses will be selected, based on applications, to each receive a $2,000 scholarship to attend a conference of their choice. Check the foundation's website for details on 2020 application dates.

In an effort to inspire and motivate nursing students, the DAISY Foundation has partnered with nursing schools to offer The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students. Students, faculty and administrators can nominate nursing students who demonstrate commitment to compassionate care, advocate strongly for patients and families, show kindness and sensitivity, and show exceptional skills (including interpersonal).

5. Supporting future nurses

4. Cherokee Nursing Conference Scholarship

6. Recognizing nursing faculty

In October 2018, DAISY and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing announced a National Call to Action for Nursing Faculty Recognition. Colleges that honor their faculty with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Faculty celebrate extraordinary nursing educators who emphasize the importance of the nurse-patient connection and inspire their students to be the very best nurses they can be.

Sweeney says this program contributes to a positive work environment for nurse educators. “Teaching compassion isn’t easily taught or measured, but it’s as important to patient care as a nurse’s technical skills,” Sweeney said.

7. Reduced memberships and tuition

All DAISY award honorees receive reduced tuition at Chamberlain University, reduced cost on American Nurses Credentialing Center certification or renewal, reduced membership, free webinars and discounted conference registration from The Society of Pediatric Nursing, and more.

8. Spotlight page

Once the DAISY Coordinator registers an honoree, a spotlight page is created and posted on The DAISY Foundation's website.

9. Advancement opportunities

Four years ago, the DAISY Foundation partnered with Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, said Sweeney, making DAISY honorees eligible to apply for membership in this prestigious invitation-only nursing honor society. STTI has more than 500 chapters worldwide and allows nursing students, who demonstrate excellence in school, and nursing leaders to attend educational and research conferences and leadership programs and to network with their nursing colleagues, among other opportunities.

10. Boosts morale and retention

The American Association of Critical Care Nurses identified meaningful recognition (like the DAISY Awards) as one of the six elements of a healthy work environment. A study conducted in 2015 showed that nurses who have been nominated for the DAISY Award report higher levels of compassion satisfaction and lower levels of compassion fatigue.

Over the past 20 years, the foundation has expanded and DAISY Awards now are given to nurses in nearly 4,000 healthcare facilities and colleges of nursing in all 50 states and in 25 other countries. Membership on the honorees list has its privileges. Here are just a few of the perks.

2. The DAISY Medical Mission Grants program

Nurses who volunteer their time and expertise to medical mission trips, providing care in underserved areas, are making a significant difference to those populations. Often, medical mission trips require volunteers to pay their own expenses.

As a new benefit, The DAISY Foundation offers grants to DAISY honorees who require funding for their expenses to volunteer on medical missions. This new initiative encourages honorees who have demonstrated extraordinary compassion in their daily practice to contribute to patient care for the world’s most underserved and vulnerable people.