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Whitney Bridges nurse with Crisp Regional Wound Center was the first recipient of the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses. Bridges was nominated by several of her colleagues and patients.

April Dukes, Chief Nursing Officer presents Bridges with a sculpture of the “Healers Touch” which symbolizes the relationship between nurses, patients and families.

Daisy is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune SYstem, The DAISYFoundation was formed in November, 1999, by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). The nursing care Patrick received when hospitalized profoundly touched his family.

The Barnes family brainstormed what to do in Patrick’s memory.  They vividly recalled the skillful and compassionate care Patrick received from his nurses during his eight-week hospitalization. They wanted to say “thank you” to nurses everywhere by establishing a recognition program,  The DAISY Award  For Extraordinary Nurses (The DAISY Award). Through this and other recognition programs, we honor the super-human work nurses do for patients and families every day.

In creating The DAISY Award, there were three elements we wanted to ensure our recognition program included:

1. A partnership with healthcare organizations to provide on-going recognition of the clinical skill and especially the compassion nurses provide to patients and families all year long.
2. Flexibility so that The DAISY Award may be tailored to each hospital’s unique culture and values.
3. A turn-key program with The DAISY Foundation providing most everything you need to implement The DAISY Award.