THE DAISY AWARD®

What is The DAISY Foundation?

An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, The DAISY Foundation 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. Read more about why they started The DAISY Foundation. “Celebrating Nurses for their Commitment to Compassionate Patient Care and for Outstanding Clinical Skill.”

Learn more about why The DAISY Foundation is so passionate about nurses.

Want to Say Thank You to Your Nurse?

Recent Award Winners From Carrington College

Nancy Smith, MSN, RN, OCN Carrington College Faculty Reno, NV Professor Smith is an instructor who constantly goes above and beyond the call of duty not only to help students that are struggling, but also to seek them out and proactively provide emotional and academic support. One student reported that Professor Smith went out of her way to a student who could not afford textbooks and made phone calls to obtain free textbooks for the student. Professor Smith works tirelessly volunteering her time for associations benefiting childhood cancer. Professor Smith works tirelessly to make the lives of others better. Jay Brownson, RN, MSN Carrington College Faculty Reno, NV “Students oftentimes seek Professor Brownson out for not just educational guidance but also for life skills and professional mentorship.” I have had the pleasure of working with Jay Brownson for several years now. Jay Brownson is an outstanding educator, manager, and mentor. Professor Brownson was recognized by several of his students and fellow faculty. He has worked tirelessly with his students not just to teaching the minimum needed to pass the NCLEX examinations but works with each of them individually as a teacher and mentor to be sure that they excel as nurses. Students oftentimes seek him out for not just educational guidance but also for life skills and professional mentorship. Jay works long hours, providing extra help when needed and his manner makes students feel less afraid of the field of nursing that they are about to enter. In the age of COVID-19, Professor Brownson models for his students calm and excellence of care. Jay’s leadership has helped lead the school to improved retention and pass rate scores as well as student satisfaction. Jay is an excellent human being and friend as well. Thank you for the opportunity to recognize a stellar fellow educator. Peg Farrar, RN, MSN Carrington College Faculty Reno, NV “Peg helps her students develop compassion and understanding for those patients who are experiencing challenges with their mental health. She has been able to break down barriers regarding the stereotypes and misconceptions regarding mental health issues.” We are honored to be able to present The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty to Peg Farrar, a nurse who has been a dedicated healthcare provider and educator for many years. She has influenced the future nursing practice of more individuals than I can count. She has made an impact on her students and the education community through her compassion and caring, through her advocacy for the underserved and for those less fortunate. She has instilled a passion in her students for the field of Mental Health Nursing. She helps her students develop compassion and understanding for those patients who are experiencing challenges with their mental health. She has been able to break down barriers regarding the stereotypes and misconceptions regarding mental health issues. She is an advocate for her patients and for her students. She makes the world a better place through her humor and her ever-present smile, through the sharing of her love for anything pug, Florence Nightingale, or tardis. Thank you, Professor Peg Farrar, for being a part of the Carrington Family. Thank you for demonstrating the attributes of a DAISY Nurse, that of compassion and caring. Thank you for contributing to the future of nursing, one student at a time. Sabina Grimes, Student Nurse Carrington College Student Reno, NV “Sabina was very comforting to the child during the procedure and displayed such a superior spirit of inquiry that the staff were all impressed.” Sabina Grimes was nominated for the DAISY Award for Nursing Students this March by Kimberly Marcus, a Pediatric, Critical Care nurse at Renown Regional Medical Center. She was nominated because of her outstanding patient care, and her spirit of inquiry on a clinical day during her Pediatric rotation at the hospital. She volunteered to accompany a 5-year-old patient to a procedure. Sabina was very comforting to the child during the procedure and displayed such a superior spirit of inquiry that the staff were all impressed. In particular, an Anesthesiologist was impressed with her and began quizzing her about her knowledge. Rather than become nervous about being put on the spot in front of other staff, she calmly and confidently displayed her knowledge of the physiology of blood pressure, and other topics related to the patient’s condition. Sabina displayed courage under pressure and displayed humility when she did not know the answer to questions, and pursued knowledge where needed. Her interaction with the Anesthesiologist was described as “inquisitive and professional,” and he added that many of his Medical Students could not have answered the same questions when put on the spot. Sabina has impressed her clinical instructor and her faculty as an outstanding role model for nurses in training.