The DAISY Award is an international recognition program that celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill, compassionate care, and advocacy nurses provide every day. OHSU is proud to be a DAISY Award Hospital Partner, honoring nurses with this meaningful award three times a year.

In 2026, OHSU proudly celebrates 10 years of recognizing nurses through the DAISY Award, marking a decade of gratitude, storytelling, and honoring the profound impact nurses have on patients, families, and one another.

To learn more about the DAISY Foundation and its growing network of hospital partners, visit www.DaisyFoundation.org.

Each DAISY Award honoree is recognized during a ceremony in their unit and receives:

• A DAISY Award certificate
• A DAISY Award pin
• A hand-carved stone sculpture titled A Healer’s Touch
• Celebration with cinnamon rolls, a favorite of J. Patrick Barnes during his illness. The Barnes family invites nurses everywhere to pause when they smell cinnamon and remember how deeply valued, they are.
• Honorees will also be eligible for additional benefits through the DAISY foundation website.

OHSU Nurse-led, OHSU Nurse-governed

The OHSU DAISY Award Program is overseen by the DAISY Award Committee, a nursing group within the Structural Empowerment Council of OHSU Nursing Professional Governance. This nurse‑led structure ensures the DAISY Award remains grounded in professional governance and guided by the voices of nurses themselves.

Nominate a nurse for a DAISY Award

• Nomination Form for Patients, family, visitors, and volunteers
• Nomination Form for OHSU staff and faculty (requires an OHSU login)

How nurses are recognized at OHSU: PETALS

At OHSU, DAISY nominations are thoughtfully reviewed using the PETALS framework, which reflects the values and impact of nursing practice:

• P – Passion for Nursing: Commitment to nursing and compassionate caregiving that inspires trust in the profession
• E – Empathy & Caring: Genuine kindness, emotional support, and attentiveness to patients, families, and colleagues
• T – Teamwork: Collaboration and contribution to a supportive care environment
• A – Advocacy: Going above and beyond to ensure others feel heard, protected, and supported
• L – Leadership in Care: Strong clinical judgment, initiative, and accountability in the moment
• S – Story Impact: A compelling and meaningful story that clearly conveys the nurse’s impact

Every nominated nurse receives their nomination story and a DAISY pin. Nominations that strongly reflect these values may advance for additional recognition.