Daisy Award - Nurse Recognition
What Is The DAISY Award?
The DAISY Award is a nationwide program that rewards and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses every day. SBL is proud to be a DAISY Award Hospital Partner, recognizing one of our nurses with this special honor every month.
To find out more about the program, including the growing list of Hospital Partners, please go to www.DAISYFoundation.org
What Will The DAISY Award Winner Received?
Each DAISY Award honoree will be recognized at a public ceremony in her/his unit and will receive: a beautiful certification, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved stone sculpture entitled A Healer's Touch. Additionally, every one in the unit will celebrate with Cinnabon® cinnamon rolls, a favorite of Patrick's during his illness. The Barnes Family asks that whenever and wherever nurses smell that wonderful cinnamon aroma, they stop for a moment and think about how special they are.
A BRAVO nomination will also be completed for all nurses who receive a nomination and/or be selected for a DAISY Award.
How to Nominate An Extraordinary Nurse
Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians, employees may nominate a deserving nurse by filling out the nomination form and submitting by the 15th of each month. You can submit your nomination by sending to [email protected] or mail to Tracey McCord , DAISY coordinator, SBL. If you choose to mail in a form, download a printable form.
May 2025 Daisy Winner
Emily Kauffman, RN, Emergency Department
“Early in May, my father came to the Emergency Department, an unusual and serious event given that he is not someone who seeks medical care unless absolutely necessary. I was on vacation with my husband in Florida at the time, and not being able to be there with my dad was incredibly difficult. However, the moment I learned that Emily was assigned as his nurse, I immediately felt at ease.
With my father’s consent, Emily kept me consistently informed about his condition, enabling me to communicate with my siblings who live out of state. Her updates were clear, timely and compassionate, and she made sure I understood everything from a clinical perspective.
Emily’s support extended far beyond clinical care. At the time, my parents were also caring for my two young children (ages five and three, and my mother had to bring my son to the ED. Emily and the entire ED team went out of their way to ensure he was care for and even spoiled him with kindness during their time there. Later one evening, my father mentioned wishing he had more comfortable clothes and a phone charger. Even though Emily was already home for the day, I reached out, and without hesitation, she drove to Walmart, purchased comfortable clothes and a charger, and delivered them to his inpatient room.
Emily’s compassion, selflessness, and unwavering dedication to both her patients and her colleagues exemplify the spirit of the DAISY Award. Thank you, Emily, for your exceptional care and compassion. We can never thank you enough.”
April 2025 Daisy Winner
Hope Holsapple, BSN, RN, Labor and Delivery
“Hope was my assigned nurse during my c-section delivery. She was absolutely amazing. She could tell when prepping me for the c-section that I was apprehensive and scared. Then she related to my experience on a personal level. I immediately felt better because of the human connection. I am a teacher in my professional life. She treated me the same way I treat and address my students.
Hope had a busy daytime duty schedule. Even after she handed my care off to another daytime nurse, because she was needed elsewhere in labor and delivery, she came back at the end of her shift to check on me. She answered all of my questions. She never made me feel inferior for the questions.
On the second day, she was my assigned nurse again. She answered all of my day two questions, and she gave me awesome advice with breast feeding. She checked in on
me and asked if the lactation consultant ever came by the first day. She hunted down the lactation consultant on the second day so I could speak to her. Hope truly went above and beyond as my nurse. She found a way to relate to me and made my hospital experience with my third pregnancy very, very positive. She truly wanted to make a difference in my life, and she did.”
Introducing New Annual DAISY Awards
The DAISY Team Award
This award honors nurse-led teams who go above and beyond to do extraordinary things for patients and their families.
The DAISY Nurse Leader Award
This award honors nurse leaders who engage and motivate nurses, create an environment of trust and compassion and serve as a role model.
The DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award
This award honors nurses who have devoted their life’s work to the compassionate care of others.
The new DAISY awards are designed to complement SBL’s on-going DAISY Award program and will be presented during the annual DAISY Award celebration in September. To submit a nomination, select the award above.
Nominate a special nurse.