Daisy Award
January 2024 Recipient – Brandi Cruz- NICU
Congratulations to Brandi Cruz, NICU, who was presented the January 2024 DAISY Award. Her nomination read, in part, “They are the kind of nurse that gives you peace of mind even in hard situations. It is a mother’s worst nightmare to go from a healthy baby to a very sick baby in 3 days. They were our nurse off and on for 2.5 months… They talked me through every concern I had, every tear I cried… The day before we went home, I told her the news and they gave us all hugs and told him how strong he was and how proud they were for overcoming everything he was faced with… I will forever be thankful for them. Compassionate, loving, caring and all around the most phenomenal nurse that I could have asked for to care for my precious boy.” Congratulations, Brandi!
The DAISY Foundation was established in 2000 by the Barnes family in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) at the age of 33. DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. Having been touched by the remarkable care, clinical skills and compassion demonstrated by nurses during Patrick's illness, the Barnes family made it their mission to recognize exceptional nurses around the world.
A DAISY Award will be given once a month. The monthly award winner will be recognized at a ceremony and will receive a framed certificate, a DAISY Award signature lapel pin and a hand-carved stone sculpture entitled A Healer's Touch. Additionally, the unit or department of the recipient will receive Cinnabon's cinnamon rolls—a favorite of Patrick's during his illness—with the sentiment that the heavenly aroma will remind them how special they are and how important their work is.
Nurses that receive The DAISY Award personify Children's of Alabama's remarkable patient experience. These individuals consistently demonstrate excellence by:
- Serving as a role model for the nursing profession
- Demonstrating a caring attitude in all situations
- Communicating with compassion, using words the patient and family understand
- Making a significant difference in the life of a patient
DAISY Leadership Award
The DAISY Nurse Leader Award recognizes nurses who are extraordinary in the impact they have on compassionate patient care. Honorees at Children's of Alabama can be any nurse leader at the assistant director level and above who has a positive impact on the care that is delivered in their department and within the organization
This Nurse Leader impacts staff and/or the patient care they manage by:
- Role modeling extraordinary behavior
- Creating an environment where attributes of trust, compassion, mutual respect, continued professional development and ethical behavior are modeled and supported
- Motivating staff with a shared vision and enthusiasm to achieve better outcomes for themselves and for their patients
- Promoting and enhancing the image of nursing within the organization, the community and the profession
