FNF members awarded DAISY Nurse Leader Award at international conference
- June 16, 2023
We are delighted to announce today the awardees of the FNF/DAISY Nurse Leader Awards to nurses from two of our member organisations.
Maria Dark, from Portsmouth University Hospitals NHS Trust, and Mitch Clarke, from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, both received the prestigious DAISY Nurse Leader Award at the international DAISY Day conference in Coventry.
FNF has entered into a new partnership with The DAISY Foundation that provides a great opportunity for our Members. The DAISY Foundation was created in 1999 in memory of the extraordinary nursing care provided to J. Patrick Barnes. The DAISY Foundation is now recognised globally and nearly 5,900 healthcare organisations and schools of nursing in 38 countries are committed to honouring their nurses with The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses, which honours the reason that nurses became nurses – to provide compassionate care for patients and their families. To date, over 2.5 million nurses have been nominated by their patients, families, and colleagues, and over 200,000 awards have been granted.
“I am privileged that the Florence Nightingale Foundation has entered into a new partnership with The DAISY Foundation to recognise the care and leadership that nurses and midwives provide, every day. The FNF/DAISY nurse Leader Award is an opportunity for senior nurses at our member organsiations to nominate someone in their team, to recognise the difference they have made. The response to this first call out for nominations was incredible and it was really difficult to make the final decision. As nurses and midwives we do tremendous things all the time. It might often seem a little thing but it can be a mighty thing for those you care for and their families. To our winners, and to all our awardees, stop and think about the difference you have made – what an incredible accolade. We look forward to working together with the DAISY Foundation over the coming years and opening up a new opportunity to connect with and learn from a new global nursing community.”
Professor Greta Westwood CBE, PhD, RN, Chief Executive Officer, FNF
FNF Head of Nursing and Midwifery Engagement, Jess Sainsbury, presented the Nurse Leader Awards at the international DAISY Day conference in Coventry on 16 June (Mitch was unable to attend and we will make sure he gets his award in due course). The theme of the conference was: ‘Why Nurses Stay’, focusing on the impact of meaningful recognition in retention of nurses and midwives.
Maria Dark is the Senior Sister for the haematology/oncology day unit and outpatient area at Queen Alexandra Hospital and Fareham Community Hospital. She was nominated by Sue Metcalfe, Senior Matron Professional Identity at Portsmouth University Hospitals NHS Trust.
“Maria is an unsung nursing hero in the organisation who champions the core values of the trust working together for patients, with compassion as one team and always improving.
Maria consistently demonstrates outstanding leadership and role models compassionate care, she shines bright in our Trust and is a worthy candidate for the prestigious Daisy Nurse Leader Award.”
Maria is pictured here with her mentor, Heather.
Mitch Clarke is Clinical Lead and Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Nottingham University Hospitals. He was nominated by Carl Yates and Bella Dorman.
“While the resilience of every member of the IPCT should be acknowledged, Mitch has led the team through very difficult times with understanding and compassion for the challenges each member of the team may have faced.
He always explains the background to the many changes that have, and continue to be implemented and continuously remains open, accessible and approachable for team members to go to if required.”
The criteria for nominating were:
- Creating an environment where attributes of trust, compassion, mutual respect, continued professional development and ethical behaviour are modelled and supported
- Being accessible, available, and responsive to the needs of their team
- Problem-solving and encouraging critical thinking
- Advocating for their teams
- Ensuring that the needs of the teams are communicated to organisation leadership and organisational priorities and directions are communicated to their teams
- Being compassionate leaders
As well as the obvious benefit that winning an award will bring to those who are successful, DAISY/FNF awardees will over time become a network and also have access to the other DAISY Nurse Leader awardees, allowing opportunities to connect with and learn from a wide nursing community round the world.
We would like to congratulate all the nominees and look forward to opening up this opportunity to our Members again next year.
Find out more here about our FNF Membership opportunities.