An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died (at the age of 33) from complications of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).  Patrick’s family was very touched by the remarkable compassion and clinical skill demonstrated by Patrick’s nurses during his illness, so they created DAISY to recognize exceptional nurses everywhere.  The DAISY Foundation is dedicated to saying Thank You to Nurses and is now proud to recognize Nursing Faculty with The DAISY Faculty Award.  

Earning a DAISY Award is within the reach of nursing faculty and nursing students at 165 schools of nursing that have partnered with the program. A combined total of more than 1,000 nursing faculty and students have earned a DAISY Award.

Learn more about The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses and Nursing Student Award at DAISYfoundation.org.

 

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students^® is designed to remind students, even on the hardest days in nursing school, why you want to be a nurse.  By recognizing nursing students for the above-and-beyond care and compassion shown to patients and their families, we celebrate what it truly means to be a nurse. We honor the nurse-patient connection that makes all the difference to patients and their families in their healthcare experience and that makes great nurses truly great.

Each DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students^® recipient will be recognized at a public ceremony in her/his school and will receive: a beautiful certificate, a DAISY Student Nurse Award pin, and a hand-carved stone sculpture entitled A Healer’s Touch.

Nominate an Extraordinary Nursing Student

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Congratulations to the 2023 DAISY Award winners

• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty: Debra Ilchak, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, CNE
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Student: Madison Hanosh
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Student: Esperanza Biggs

 

Congratulations to the 2022 DAISY Award winners

• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty: Dawn Bedwell MSN, RN
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Student: Carisse Panganiba
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty: Jenny Spann, MSN, RN 
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Student: Jannie Nam 

 

Congratulations to the 2021 DAISY Award winners

• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty:  Cheryl Schmidt  PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty:  Cyndi Holcomb RN, MS
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty: Tanya Carroccio DNP, AGNP-BC, RN 
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®:  Brooke Taylor
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®: Elizabeth Strickland  

 

Congratulations to the 2020 DAISY Award winners

• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty:  Jennifer Dyck, BSN, RN
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty:  Diane E. Nuñez DNP, RN, ANP-BC, FNAP
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®:  Kathleen Tucker, BSN, RN
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®:  Nicole Zimmerman, BSN

 

Congratulations to the 2019 DAISY Award winners

• DAISY Faculty Award:  Aliria Muñoz Rascón, MSN, RN, CCRN-K
• DAISY Faculty Award:  Denise Link, PhD, WHNP-BC, CNE, FAAN, FAANP
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®:  Kieley Hicks, BSN, RN
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®:  Hunter Flanagan, BSN, RN
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®:  Matthew L. Eckles, BSN, RN

 

Congratulations to the 2018 DAISY Award winners

• DAISY Faculty Award: Beth Walker, RN, MS, CNE
• DAISY Faculty Award:  Diane Nunez
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students®: Jenna Nassar

 

Congratulations to the 2017 DAISY Award winners

• DAISY Faculty Award:  Kathryn Williams
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students® (Graduate Student):  Kristel McGhee
• DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students® (Undergraduate Student):  Lauren Iudiciani