The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 by the Barnes family after J. Patrick Barnes (Pat), passed away at age 33 of complications of an auto-immune disease. His family was awestruck not only by the immense clinical skills, but also the enormous compassion shown to

Pat and all of their family by the nurses who cared for him.

When Pat died, the Barnes family felt compelled to do something to say “Thank you!” to nurses in a very personal way. The family created The DAISY Award (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System), to help organizations honor and celebrate the compassionate care nurses provide every day.

The DAISY Award is a nationwide program that recognizes nurses who consistently demonstrate excellence through their clinical expertise, compassion and spirituality, and are considered role models in the nursing community. Nurses can be nominated by patients, families and their peers.

At Ascension, we are united by a common goal and Mission: to deliver compassionate, personalized care to all. We are extremely proud to be part of a team with thousands of Ascension nurses who have earned the prestigious DAISY Award.

Ascension’s Mission: Rooted in the loving ministry of Jesus as healer, we commit ourselves to serving all persons with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable. Our Catholic health ministry is dedicated to spiritually centered, holistic care which sustains and improves the health of individuals and communities. We are advocates for a compassionate and just society through our actions and our words.

Hear from three Ascension nurses who have recently been recognized with the esteemed DAISY Award.

Meet MaKayla
ICU RN

Photo-Blog-Recognizing-Extraordinary-Nurses-Daisy-Award-Winners-Makayla-500x500-1

“Unlike many other hospital organizations, Ascension has put God first in everything. From the daily prayers over the loudspeaker to all of the compassionate nurses working by my side. We have an extremely motivated team and family oriented culture. Everyone here in the ICU is always willing to help and support you when needed. I have yet to experience a situation where I've felt alone.

Without the liberty to be myself and pray

with the same spiritual beliefs as me, I would not have been able to obtain the DAISY award.”

Meet Lummer
Pediatric ED RN

Photo-Blog-Recognizing-Extraordinary-Nurses-Daisy-Award-Winners-Lummer-500x500-1

“I chose Ascension as an employer because of its strong commitment to compassionate care and its dedication to serving the community. The organization’s values align closely with my own, particularly the emphasis on holistic care and supporting underserved populations.

Working at Ascension played a crucial role in achieving my DAISY Award. The organization’s commitment to excellence and its supportive environment allowed

me to focus on providing exceptional care. In addition, the environment they cultivate is of encouragement and respect which makes you want to go above and beyond in each and every interaction.”

Meet Je’Shawn
Pediatric RN

Photo-Blog-Recognizing-Extraordinary-Nurses-Daisy-Award-Winners-JeShawn-500x500-1

“I definitely feel that working at Ascension has helped me achieve my DAISY award recognition. When I first started as a baby nurse here, I was welcomed by such experienced, knowledgeable, yet caring coworkers and providers, which set the tone for the type of nurse that I wanted to be.

The environment that I was trained in allowed me to not only practice the science of nursing, but also the art of nursing. And to me, both the science

and the art of nursing is what makes for an above average nurse.”

Be part of our award-winning team

Are you interested in joining a compassionate, mission-driven organization that cares about its associates just as much as it does its patients? At Ascension, we believe that to provide the best care to our communities, we must also take care of ourselves and our team members.

Explore nursing careers with us or join our talent community to learn more about Ascension.

Explore opportunities with Ascension