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Nursing Awards and Recognition
Nurses impact patient and family-centred care at the individual and systems level. They play a critical role in safety, clinical innovation, patient and family experience. The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) recognizes these important contributors who advance SickKids’ mission, vision and values. Nursing excellence is recognized throughout the year through awards and recognition programs that showcase and celebrate the breadth of nursing knowledge and expertise at SickKids.
Nursing Excellence Awards
The Nursing Excellence Awards recognize nursing staff who have demonstrated dedication, distinction and commitment to their profession, and to our patients and families.
The Nursing Excellence Awards and the Elizabeth McMaster Inspiration Award are made possible thanks to generous endowments from the families and friends of Grace Evelyn Simpson Reeves, Maria Györössy-Csepreghy Kluge and Iris Weiss.
The Grace Evelyn Simpson Reeves Awards recognize SickKids' nurses for demonstrated excellence in nursing practice, education, leadership, research or innovation. The Grace Evelyn Simpson Reeves Awards are as follows:
- Clinical Extern Award
- New Graduate Nurse Award
- Nursing Practice Award
- Nursing Research and Evaluation Award
- Nursing Leadership Award
- Advanced Practice Nursing Award
- Nursing Team Award
- Nursing Education Award
- Nursing Innovation Award (Individual/Team)
- Career Achievement Award
The Maria Györössy-Csepreghy Kluge Award recognizes SickKids' nurses for excellence in infant and neonatal nursing. This award is open to any nurse who has worked at SickKids for five or more years and is enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate or continuing education program.
The award is presented to the nurse who demonstrates excellence in leadership in the area of infant and neonatal care, acts as a mentor to others and exhibits outstanding nursing practice.
The endowment fund to support this nursing award was established by the Kluge family.
The Iris Weiss Memorial Award for Excellence in Child and Adolescent Mental Health recognizes a SickKids nurse who provides exemplary care for children, youth and their families receiving care within the Division of Child and Adolescent Medicine and Psychiatry and who are interested in pursuing a professional development opportunity.
The award is presented to a nurse who demonstrates exemplary nursing care provision for children, youth and their families and inspires excellence in others. The award recognizes a nurse who excels as a patient and family advocate and embraces change as an opportunity for professional growth and learning.
Elizabeth McMaster is widely known as a Canadian humanitarian and the founder of SickKids. The Elizabeth McMaster Inspiration Award was established to honour a nurse who truly inspires the best in others.
The award recognizes a role model and leader within SickKids nursing who advocates for access to health care, equity and action on social determinants of health, beyond the walls of SickKids. The award recipient establishes relationships that optimize internal and external partnerships with individuals and groups to advance the nursing care of children and families.
The Bresler Family Neurosurgical Nursing Award recognizes a SickKids nurse who provides exemplary neurosurgical care for children, youth and their families receiving care within the Division of Neurosurgery. There are three awards: one for a perioperative, inpatient and outpatient nurse each.
DAISY Award
The DAISY Award is an international program that recognizes and celebrates the extraordinary clinical skill and compassionate care given by nurses every day. Throughout the year, SickKids nurses, nursing teams and nurse leaders who have been nominated by patients and families, or their nursing and interprofessional colleagues are selected to receive the DAISY Award.
About the DAISY Foundation
The DAISY Award was established by the not-for-profit DAISY (Diseases Attacking the Immune System) Foundation. The Foundation was established in 2000 by the family of J. Patrick Barnes who died at age 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). During Pat’s eight-week hospitalization his family was awestruck by the care and compassion his nurses provided not only to Pat but to everyone in his family. The Foundation, created in Pat’s memory, recognizes the extraordinary nurses everywhere who make an enormous difference in the lives of so many people by the super-human work they do everyday.
SickKids has been proud to be a DAISY Award Hospital Partner since 2008. To find out more about the program, including the growing list of hospital partners, please go to DAISYfoundation.org.
DAISY Award Criteria
DAISY award honorees champion SickKids' vision of Healthier Children. A Better World. They exemplify the kind of nurse our patients, families and staff recognize as an outstanding role model and leader.
Quarterly, three winners each quarter
Recognizes a nurses who demonstrate exceptional clinical skill and compassionate care. Nominators are asked to share a story about how this nurse has gone above and beyond in their role. Please ensure you have their first and last name and the department where this nurse works.
Annual, three winners each year
Recognizes nurses who impacts patient and family centered care by making a difference through leadership.
Annual
Recognizes a nurse who has served as a role model and advocate for nursing practice and has been an exemplar for enhancing the patient experience across their nursing career. This nurse must have been working in the profession for more than 25 years.
Annual, one winning team each year
Recognizes a nursing-led team that demonstrates excellent child and family-centered care with a high level of compassion.
Annual, one winner each year
Recognizes a nurse or a nursing-led team that advances health equity and safety for patients, families and communities.
Nominate a nurse
Patients, family members, visitors, fellow nurses and colleagues may nominate a deserving nurse, nurse leader or nursing team by completing a nomination form for the selection committee to review. Nominations may be submitted through the form linked below.
Selection process
Nominations are reviewed quarterly by the DAISY Award Committee led by the RN Council Co-Chairs. This committee is comprised of various nurses, nurse leaders and family advisory network members. You will be notified if your nominee is selected for an award and invited to participate in the award presentation. Each nurse who is nominated for the award, regardless of whether they are the honouree, will receive a copy of the nomination and a DAISY nominee pin.