Pediatric Nursing | Awards and Recognition

The DAISY Award is supported by the not-for-profit DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation. Bonnie and J. Mark Barnes created this foundation and award as a way to remember their son, J. Patrick Barnes. Patrick had a disease that attacked his body and required him to be in the hospital for a long time. His nurses did such a great job caring for him, that the Barnes family created an award that continues to recognize nurses throughout the country every day. The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses was created to:

• Recognize the skillful and amazingly compassionate care received from nurses
• Say thank you to nurses around the country
• Proclaim respect and recognition for the education, training, brainpower and skill nurses put into their work

The DAISY Foundation and the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) have entered into collaboration to ensure The DAISY Award is in every hospital that wants it, deserves it, and is willing to do what it takes to make it meaningful for their nurses. Cincinnati Children’s is pleased to have this award as another way to recognize nurses who go above and beyond to provide extraordinary care.

Nominate a nurse for the DAISY award using our online form.

We believe that those who create an environment of compassion and recognition for others deserve to be recognized themselves. Despite working under pressure, through their leadership, these Nurse Leaders provide a haven of safety for staff, both physically and emotionally. In this environment, Nurses are inspired to do their very best by Nurse Leaders who role-model caring behaviors. Any nurse who takes on leadership responsibilities and effect patient care is eligible and they impact staff or patient care 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
• Motivates staff with a shared vision and enthusiasm to achieve better outcomes for themselves and for their patients
• Promotes and enhances the image of nursing within the organization, the community and the profession

Nominate a nurse for the DAISY award using our online form.

Its purpose is to recognize excellent management leaders within Patient Services who have made a difference to patients, families, staff and the organization and who promote the growth and development of those they lead. The eligibility criteria for the award are:

• Management and/leadership behaviors that exemplify the leader’s promotion of individual growth, development or mentoring of those they lead
• Involvement in initiatives, projects and/or programs that illustrate the nominee’s management/leadership contributions
• Management/leadership practice that have impacted people, patients, or the organization positively

Each year, Cincinnati Children’s nurses are recognized through celebrations during National Nurse Week. This is a fun-filled week, full of celebrations that include our annual excellence in nursing awards ceremony, a special Nurse Week Nursing Grand Rounds, and our Evidence-Based Practice, Research and Quality Improvement Poster Day.

Each year, this award is given to an individual or a group who have created exceptional patient education materials during the past 12 months. The winner(s) of the award are announced during our annual Health Literacy Fair, during national Health Literacy Month each October.

Barbara Robison-Sporck, a nurse and former head nurse of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Cincinnati Children’s, established the Sporck Award for Nursing Excellence in 1985 in honor of her father, Ellis H. Robison. This award is presented annually to a nurse who demonstrates positive leadership and outstanding clinical performance.