During our recent Member Symposium, the Florence Nightingale Foundation was delighted to honour three exceptional nurses from across our member organisations with the international DAISY Award – a global recognition of nurses and midwives who lead with compassion, courage, and integrity.
This year’s theme ‘Learning under the spotlight’ recognises that true leadership grows not from getting everything right, but from the courage to learn, adapt, and lead improvement in the face of challenge. These leaders demonstrate openness, humility, and a commitment to continuous learning that strengthens teams and improves care.
From an impressive group of nominees, our panel selected three honourees, chosen by our Chief Nurse members, whose leadership truly embodies trust, compassion and mutual respect:
- Sudan Gurung, Senior Charge Nurse at Frimley Health Foundation Trust
- Graciela Correia, Clinical Operations Manager at HCA Healthcare UK
- Sonia Couto, Ward Sister at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Summary of Nomination for Sudan Gurung
Using the findings from a serious incident and subsequent Prevention of Future Deaths report as a catalyst for improvement – implementing systemic changes through the Stop the Pressure initiative, certified by the Frimley Excellence Team, and adopting digital tools to monitor compliance and improve care standards.
Nominator Sharon Burfield, Deputy Director for Clinical Education at Frimley Health Foundation Trust said: “Sudan shows what compassionate leadership looks like in practice and exemplifies our Trust values. He faced intense scrutiny with honesty and reflection, turned learning into action, and inspired his team to deliver safer, better care every day.”
Sudan Gurung said, “I am incredibly honoured to receive this recognition. This achievement reflects the resilience, dedication and hard work of the entire team I have the privilege to work with. The challenges we have faced have shaped me as a leader and reinforced the importance of continuous learning and improvement. I am proud to be part of a profession that continues to grow through reflection and teamwork.”
Summary of Nomination for Graciela Correia
Improving the consistency and effectiveness of handover and safety huddles in terms of quality and time effectiveness – initially across eight acute hospitals and then with roll out of new processes across all HCA facilities. With a focus on ensuring the patient is a member of the care team – no longer using third person language.
Nominator Kathryn Hornby, Chief Nursing Executive at HCA Healthcare UK, said “I’m incredibly proud of Graciela for leading a transformative quality improvement project on bedside handovers. Her dedication to enhancing patient safety, strengthening communication, and improving nursing care and efficiency has made a meaningful impact on both our teams and the people we care for. Graciela’s leadership embodies the very best of nursing, and we are grateful for her commitment to excellence.”
Graciela said ‘’It was a wonderful and unexpected surprise to be recognised at the FNF Daisy Awards. This recognition goes to our nursing teams who have shown such commitment to improving bedside handovers and safety huddles, and to Jami Antonison, our Head of Nursing: Process Improvement, for being my partner in this work and for her vision, valuable expertise and total commitment. I’m also grateful to our CNE, Kathryn Hornby, for the exceptional support that has enabled this improvement journey.’’
Summary of Nomination for Sonia Couto
Setting up reflective discussions and shared learning sessions, and encouraging innovative thinking, to increase staff utilisation by reducing wasted time during evening shifts by 50%. The project delivered financial savings and improved staff morale – with wider adoptions of the approaches across the organsiation
Nominator Sue Burton, Deputy Chief Nurse and Pathway to Excellence Programme Director at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said “I am absolutely delighted that Sonia has been recognised for the hard work she has undertaken. Sonia has shown what great leadership looks like — really listening, bringing people together, and turning honest feedback into positive change. Her approach has lifted morale and made a real difference for the team. The award signifies extraordinary nursing and midwifery leadership, with a strong focus on compassion, authenticity, and impactful improvement.”
Sonia said, “Embarking on this project was driven by a clear purpose: to address a pressing issue impacting both our staff and financial resources. What I did not anticipate, however, was the far-reaching impact this initiative would have, not only within UHL but also beyond our immediate environment. The lessons learned through QI have not only helped us resolve the initial issue but have also equipped us with tools and insights that will serve us well in future projects. As I look back on this journey, I am filled with pride—not just for what we have accomplished, but for the way we have worked together. I hope our experience encourages others to take on their own challenges.”
“This year’s DAISY Award theme, ‘Learning Under the Spotlight’, echoed the spirit of our Member Symposium. FNF Academy members nominated individuals who had transformed reflection into action, using learning from experience, feedback and review to make a real difference. The calibre of nominations made selecting just three honourees exceptionally difficult. Huge congratulations to those recognised with this remarkable achievement. We look forward to supporting your ongoing leadership journey.”
Arlene Wellman, Strategic Advisor, FNF
