The DAISY Award recognizes, honors, and celebrates the skillful and compassionate care nurses provide to patients and their families. Nursing students, faculty, preceptors, and other practicing nurses can be nominated for the award. This year, two College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (CPHS) nursing students received the award.
Alumnae Sarah Dunn (’22 BSN) was nominated by the inpatient wound care nurses at UNC Johnston Health. Dunn was actively involved in morning patient reviews. She always had something positive to add to the review or helpful reminders to the staff of what went on during a particular patient visit. Her nomination letter stated, “She is eager to learn at all times and is willing to take on whatever challenge or task is thrown her way with no complaints.”
Dunn seeks to educate patients from a place of compassion. She loves helping people and humbly shared that she did not know she deserved the award. “Receiving the award showed me that I am a nurse based on my character, not my grades. It reminded me that I am capable, even if nursing school was the biggest challenge of my life.”
Morgan Bass (’23 BSN Candidate) shared what an honor it was to receive the DAISY Award. She was proactive in her patient care, demonstrating good teamwork and communication with peers and staff. She was committed to high-quality patient care and advocated for her patients’ needs. Her nomination letter came from a clinical faculty member and stated, “Morgan is deserving of recognition for her commitment to advocacy and compassionate patient care.”
“The professors have been wonderful teachers by not only teaching the skills needed but also how to advocate for our patients and build the therapeutic relations that is vital in nursing. Ever since I could remember I have always wanted to be a nurse. As I grew older my reason for wanting to become a nurse altered from wanting to be like my cousin to wanting to be the hands and feet for Jesus and serve others,” Bass remarked.
Dr. Stacy Wise, chair and director of the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing, shared, “The DAISY award for students celebrates and recognizes making a difference in the lives of patients through compassionate care and excellence in clinical skills. At the core of being a Campbell nurse is a commitment to positively impact the lives of those around us, whether that be our patients, our families, one another, or the public. I am so proud of Morgan and Sarah for living out those values and being our first DAISY recipients in the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing.”
ABOUT THE DAISY AWARD
Bonnie and Mark Barnes created the DAISY award after Mark’s son, Patrick, lost his life to an auto-immune disease. The couple was touched by the nurses who lovingly cared for Patrick. The Barnes family wanted to find a way to say “thank you” to Patrick’s care team, so the DAISY award was established to provide meaningful recognition to caring nurses.
Nurses can be nominated by anyone in the organization who experiences or observes extraordinary compassionate care being provided by a nurse. This includes patients, family members, other nurses, physicians, other clinicians, and staff. According to the organization, “The DAISY Award is an ongoing recognition program that honors and celebrates the skillful and compassionate care nurses provide every day and is active in over 5,000 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing, internationally.”