Toward the end of 1999, 33-year-old Patrick Barnes woke up with blood blisters in his mouth. When he went to visit his doctor, his seemingly innocuous health issue turned out to be extremely serious—Patrick had a dangerously low blood platelet count and was admitted to the hospital. His eventual diagnosis was Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own platelets—the fragments of cells that help blood clot.

Patrick spent 8 weeks in the hospital. During that time his parents witnessed what his father would later describe as the “very best of nursing…fast thinking that saved his life more than once, and…the kindness and compassion they showed Patrick and all of us in his family every day.”

Patrick would eventually lose his battle with ITP. Following his passing, his parents felt they needed to say “‘thank you,’ for the gifts nurses give their patients and families every day.” Within a short period of time, Patrick’s family had set up the DAISY Award, which stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem—the type of disease that Patrick had.

The DAISY Award

Covid-19, staff and equipment shortages, and now monkeypox—the last few years have been particularly challenging for nurses. And yet, they have continued to rise to the occasion, walking toward the dangers and challenges presented by these situations because they love what they do, and because they love helping and healing people.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses is an international recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful, compassionate care nurses provide everyday. Now, 21 years after its creation, The DAISY Foundation works with over 5,400 healthcare facilities and nursing schools in all 50 states and in 33 other countries and territories.

The primary goal of the DAISY Award is to provide on-going recognition of the incredible skill and care that nurses bring to each patient and every family day in, day out. “We wanted to give patients, families, and co-workers an easy way to express their gratitude for nurses who provide extraordinary compassionate care,” Patrick’s family explains, adding, “[W]e wanted the program to honor nurses all year long – not only during Nurses Week.”

The Door County Medical Center DAISY Committee gives out 4 awards each year—every November, February, May and August. The first award will be given this coming November. Each DAISY Award recipient receives:

• The “Extraordinary Nurse” Certificate: recognizing the skill and compassion of that nurse and presented in a beautiful portfolio. 

• The DAISY Award pin: great for pinning to a lapel or an I.D. badge.

• Hand-carved Stone Sculpture: A unique, Zimbabwean sculpture, entitled “A Healer's Touch.” 

• A DAISY Foundation Spotlight Article: which will feature on the DAISY Foundation website, include a photo of the Honoree, and tell the story of why the nurse was honored.

In addition to each individual award, and the recognition that the nurse receives at the award ceremony, DAISY Award recipients are also eligible for numerous benefits and opportunities, including:

• Grants: like the DAISY Medical Mission Grants, the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice (EBP), the Lynne Doll Grants for Dissemination of Findings, and the Health Equity Grants for Research and EBP.

• Reduced American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Certification Fees: DAISY Honorees are eligible to apply for, or renew, their ANCC certification at a special reduced rate.

• Reduced Tuition: available at Chamberlain University College of Nursing through the DAISY Honoree scholarship. 

• Conference Scholarships: Daisy Honorees can apply to the conference of their choice to support professional advancement.

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Nominate a nurse for the DAISY Award today!

DAISY Award Honorees personify Door County Medical Center's remarkable patient experience. “We are so fortunate to have over 200 nurses at DCMC that work tirelessly to care for those in need and touch so many lives through their skill and compassion,” says Christa Krause MHA, MSN, RN, CPHQ and DCMC’s Chief Nursing Officer. “The DAISY Award,” she continues, “is a way for patients, community members and fellow staff to recognize these efforts.”

Nurses are nominated for the DAISY Award by anyone in the organization—patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians and staff—who experience, or observe extraordinary and compassionate care being provided by a nurse.

To nominate a nurse who has touched your life or the life of a loved one please visit our DAISY Award page. To learn more about the DAISY Foundation and the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing, please click here.