Celebrating Nurses with Bonnie Barnes and The DAISY Foundation

Welcome to Chatting with Chat! Today, I’m excited to introduce Bonnie Barnes, FAAN , the co-founder of The DAISY Foundation —an incredible organization that honors nurses around the world. Thanks to Bonnie’s leadership, the Daisy Award has recognized thousands of nurses who are making a real impact in the healthcare community.

I had the privilege of meeting Bonnie a few months ago, and after hearing her story and seeing the amazing work she’s been doing over the years, I knew I had to share her inspiring journey with all of you.

So, Bonnie, welcome, and thank you for joining us today.

Bonnie Barnes: Thank you, Chat. I just want to say one thing upfront—it’s not just me. There’s a big team behind the Daisy Foundation now, and most importantly, my beloved husband, Mark Barnes, who, in my opinion, is the visionary leader of this organization. So, thank you for your kind words.

Chat: Absolutely! It’s so important to acknowledge that it’s never just one person. I always remember the saying from my investment banking training: "Teamwork makes the dream work." We definitely live by that here at Care+Wear as well.

Let’s dive into your background. When I started Care+Wear, it was all about helping my loved ones who were fighting cancer, specifically trying to improve things like a better sock over a PICC line.?

Can you tell us more about the Daisy Foundation and how you came up with the idea?

Bonnie Barnes: Well, like you, often the best ideas come from a place of need. For Mark and I, our need was to find a way to say thank you to the nurses who had cared for my stepson, Patrick—Mark’s son. Patrick had been in the hospital for eight weeks fighting an autoimmune disease we’d never heard of, called ITP. Tragically, he passed away at the end of those eight weeks.

As we began processing the unimaginable loss, we found ourselves continually talking about the incredible care Patrick received from his nurses. They were exceptional clinicians, but what truly stood out was the compassion and sensitivity they showed to Patrick and our entire family.

When Patrick passed away, we were overwhelmed with gratitude for the nurses who had cared for him. We needed a way to say thank you. Just like you described the start of your organization, it came from a place of need. That’s how we created DAISY, which stands for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The goal was to give patients, families, and coworkers a way to share their gratitude and tell the stories of nurses who made a difference in their care.

At first, we thought we’d honor maybe five or ten hospitals in the U.S., and that would be enough. We’d feel better and go back to our lives. But today, more than 6,900 healthcare facilities and nursing schools in 43 countries participate in the DAISY Award, honoring nurses month after month. We never imagined it would grow this big or have such an impact.

Chat: That’s incredible! And what’s even more special is how, despite the growth, you’ve stayed true to your mission and purpose. I remember telling you when we met, my mom’s an anesthesiologist, and she always taught me that the most important person in the room is the nurse—so get to know the nurse. They’re the ones who ensure you’re taken care of. What you’re building is so important, and every time I visit a healthcare facility, I always smile when I see a sign about the DAISY Foundation and how nurses are being honored.

Bonnie Barnes: Thank you, Chat! It’s something we’re all incredibly proud of.

As you mentioned, those signs and the recognition nurses receive are powerful.?

Chat:?

Can you walk us through how healthcare organizations choose their nominees for the DAISY Award? Are there specific qualities or achievements they look for?

Bonnie Barnes: That’s a great question. The healthcare facilities themselves choose the nominees for the DAISY Award. We encourage them to create their own criteria based on their mission and values, with a focus on compassionate care. Of course, clinical excellence is important, but we really emphasize compassion.

Each organization forms a selection committee, which typically includes nurses, patient family advisory council members, chaplains, and sometimes physicians. They receive nominations through electronic submissions, written nominations, or even letters sent to the CEO about a nurse’s exceptional care. These nominations are reviewed anonymously, ensuring a fair selection process. The committee chooses honorees based on the criteria they’ve established. Each program is a little different, but we wanted it to be flexible enough to fit the unique culture of each organization.

Chat: I love that. And I really appreciate your focus on compassion. At Care+Wear, we also make it a point to express our thanks to nurses. Our team—what I call our “Care+Wear Street Team”—goes out in New York every quarter to thank nurses. I think it’s something that gets overlooked too often—the simple act of saying “thank you” to those who do so much every day. Hearing personal stories about the care nurses provide is always so inspiring.

Bonnie Barnes: That’s fantastic, Chat! Thank you for doing that. It’s such a meaningful gesture.

Chat: So, on that note, why do you think it’s so important to recognize nurses for all the hard work and compassion they show every day?

Bonnie Barnes: It all starts with the people who nominate the nurses. Over 3.2 million times, patients or family members have shared their stories and expressed their gratitude. Research shows that it’s incredibly therapeutic for patients and families to acknowledge the difference a nurse has made in their lives.

For the nurses receiving these nominations, it connects them back to their purpose. It reminds them why they became nurses and reignites their passion for caring for others. In today’s complex healthcare environment, where technology and decision-making often dominate, it’s vital to remind nurses that the little things they do have a huge impact on patients and families. That’s why they chose this career in the first place.

So, the recognition is not only important for the patients and families, but for the nurses as well. The positive effects are clear and well-supported by evidence.

Chat: That’s such a powerful perspective.?

How have you seen the recognition through the DAISY Award impact the nurses who receive it, and what effect does it have on their colleagues?

Bonnie Barnes: That’s a great question, Chat. To give you a bit of background, Mark and I both came from advertising and marketing, where awards are a common practice. So, we understood the power of recognition.?

When we first came up with the idea of creating an award for nurses, we had no idea there was no existing award focused on their compassion. We didn’t know that healthcare leaders at the time didn’t see the need for one. We did have some concerns, though—kind of like in business, where everyone claps for an award recipient and then asks, "Why not me?" We worried the nurses would have the same response. But, in nursing, that doesn’t happen.

We’ve been amazed by the acceptance of the DAISY Award across the entire healthcare team. Nurses and others in the healthcare field see something special in their colleagues and want to elevate and celebrate it. It's been incredibly refreshing to see how nurses now celebrate each other.

We also make sure to incorporate team recognition into the DAISY Award celebrations. Every DAISY honoree tells us, "I didn’t do this alone. I did this with my team." So, we ensure that every team is acknowledged during the ceremony.

Chat: I love that! And I think it’s so special how nurses celebrate each other.?

What are some of the most effective ways to advocate for change in healthcare?

Bonnie Barnes: Honestly, I’m not an expert in healthcare beyond the DAISY Award and meaningful recognition. But we are on a mission to get the public to speak up more about nurses. What you’re doing with your Care+Wear team, going out to thank nurses on the street, is exactly the kind of public recognition we need. Nurses play a vital role in society, and we need to give them the respect, appreciation, and resources they deserve.

We’re working hard to raise awareness of the DAISY Award outside of healthcare organizations, getting nurses’ stories into local media so the public understands the essential work nurses do. The only way we can make meaningful change in healthcare is by shifting public perception.

Chat: I love that approach! At Care+Wear, we see nurses as the heart and soul of everything we create. Without them, we wouldn’t know the small but vital details, like why a mesh window is important on a PICC line cover. Nurses are always at the forefront, and we’ve made it a point to have them involved in our design process. In fact, we’ve even launched a nurse design council to make sure we’re getting their input.

Bonnie Barnes: That’s fantastic! Nurses are truly the frontline experts. Their passion for better patient care is inspiring.

Chat: It really is. Alright, let’s shift gears a bit. I have a few rapid-fire questions for you. First, and I’m probably pretty sure I know the answer, but I still have to ask: What’s your current favorite book?

Bonnie Barnes: Great question! That would have to be the book behind me, Shining the Light on All the Right. Five years ago, Mark and I felt strongly that we needed to share our journey—how we went from Patrick’s bedside to, at that time, over 4,000 healthcare facilities partnering with us to honor nurses. We worked with a fantastic ghostwriter, Jim Eber, to tell our story.

Last year, we updated the book to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the DAISY Award. We even recorded the audiobook ourselves! It’s available on Amazon. Right now, it’s my favorite book, and I can’t wait for nurses to read it because it shares how they inspired the creation of the DAISY Award.

Chat: That's incredible! How can people purchase the book?

Bonnie Barnes: You can get personalized, signed copies on our website at daisyfoundation.org/book. The e-book and audiobook are also available on Amazon. It’s called Shining the Light on All the Right: Celebrating the Art of Nursing Around the World.

Chat: I’ll definitely check it out. A couple more quick questions: What’s the last TV show you binge-watched?

Bonnie Barnes: I just finished the sixth season of Virgin River. After all the healthcare stories I’m surrounded by, I needed something light and joyful, and Virgin River fit the bill.

Chat: I’ll have to check that out! Thanks for the recommendation.

Chat: What’s been so amazing to see over the last ten years is how the DAISY Foundation has expanded—not just across the country, but around the world. You've had the opportunity to visit many different locations, too.?

What’s been your favorite city or country to visit?

Bonnie Barnes: Oh, that’s a tough one! I have to say, we do a lot of work in the UK, and I absolutely love traveling around the hospitals there. The NHS is such a phenomenal healthcare system, and we’re really proud of what they’re doing with the DAISY Award. That’s not just a city, of course, but the whole country.

We’ve also been to Saudi Arabia, and I always joke that whenever we’re there, there isn’t a yellow, green, or white balloon left in the country because they’re all in the hospitals, creating these massive DAISY Award celebrations. It’s such a fun experience to see the DAISY Award brought to life with nurses' tremendous creativity, no matter the culture. Nurses are nurses everywhere, and we get to see that compassion shine through in every culture.

So those are two countries that we especially love visiting, but honestly, we love traveling and visiting nurses wherever they are.

Chat: I love that. And I think it’s amazing to see how the DAISY Award has touched so many places around the world.

Thank you again, Bonnie. This has been such an incredible conversation. Thank you to you and Mark for building such an incredible organization that allows us to thank nurses. When we first met, I told you it was such an honor to speak with you, and I still feel that way. I’m so proud of everything you’re doing and excited to continue recognizing even more nurses, helping them realize they’re true superstars—whether or not they receive the DAISY Award.

What you’ve done so well is remind everyone that we wouldn’t have today’s world without nurses. So, thank you for the amazing work you and your team are doing, and thank you for being here with me today on Chatting with Chat. I’m excited for the future and all that we’ll accomplish together.

Bonnie Barnes: Thank you, Chat! Let’s definitely stay in touch.

Chat: Absolutely. Awesome.