Honoring Our Inaugural DAISY Nurse Leader Award Recipient
May 12, 2026
The DAISY Nurse Leader Award honors nurses who exemplify the PETALS criteria: Problem solving, creating a nurturing Environment, Trust and teamwork, Advocating, Listening, and being Supportive. Pamela embodies each of these qualities not as a checklist, but as a way of leading every day.
What sets Pamela apart is her consistent presence when it matters most. In high-acuity or understaffed moments, she steps in alongside her teams — stabilizing operations, modeling calm decision-making, and demonstrating that no challenge is beneath a leader's attention. Her willingness to roll up her sleeves reflects a deep commitment to patient care and doing the right thing, even when it means making difficult calls.
Pamela leads with authenticity and builds trust through open communication and genuine relationships. She listens carefully to frontline concerns and ensures those voices are represented at the senior leadership table. She is equally transparent with her teams about organizational priorities and constraints — a balance that strengthens both accountability and morale across her departments.
She is a steadfast advocate for safe staffing, appropriate resources, and professional nursing practice. When hard conversations are required, Pamela approaches them with integrity and courage, grounded in her belief that leaders exist to make a difference together. Her commitment to developing people is equally evident — she mentors nurse managers, educators, and frontline staff, extending trust early and creating space for nurses at every level to grow and lead. Through her support of shared governance and nurse-led improvement work, she empowers bedside nurses to use their voices and critical thinking every single day.
Pamela Pearson is not only a respected leader — she is a steady, compassionate presence her teams rely on, and she is deeply deserving of this recognition.