The Academy of Forensic Nursing (AFN) and The DAISY Foundation™ have announced the recipients of their inaugural DAISY Nurse Leader Awards in Forensic Nursing.

This annual award recognizes the value and importance of nurse leaders within the forensic nursing community. Nominees embodied the mission of AFN, which is to link research to practice through the dissemination of scholarship, education, and service to those affected by and responding to trauma, with an ultimate vision of responding to trauma with care. Three individuals were selected by a national panel of forensic nursing experts to represent two nomination categories: Clinical Forensic Nursing Pathfinder and Forensic Nursing Scholar.

The recipient for Clinical Forensic Nursing Pathfinder is:

Elana Estrada, RN, CA/CP SANE, SANE-A, SANE-P, Driscoll Children's Hospital Child Abuse Resource and Evaluation (CARE) Team and Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) for being a  pathfinder for her institution’s forensic nursing programming, a mentor of other nurses nationwide, and for the education and collaborative efforts she has extended, not only to other hospital disciplines, but also to law enforcement, child protective services, child advocacy centers, local women’s and children’s shelters, and emergency medical services. Elana, described by one nominator as a “kind, compassionate, visionary, strategic, empathetic, and passionate leader,” recently delayed her retirement to assist in building another forensic child abuse and sexual assault response team in the first free-standing children's hospital in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Read Elana’s full nomination submissions here.

The recipients for Forensic Nursing Scholar are:

Zenaide Cavalcanti de Medeiros Kernbeis, RN, FNE, Sergipe Emergency Hospital, Brazilian Forensic Nursing Association for her innovation, advocacy, and dedication to forensic nursing. Highlights from her nominations included the implementation of forensic nursing in Brazil, the creation of Brazilian Association of Forensic Nursing – ABEFORENSE and Pandora's Box APP, where, through a questionnaire, it is possible to measure the level of mental suffering of nursing professionals.  Additionally, Zenaide established Forensic Nursing Day in the State of Sergipe and has collaborated with The Federal Nursing Council, the FBI, INTERPOL, and INTERFORENSIC to educate, form policy, and bring justice to victims of violence. Read Zenaide’s full nomination submissions here.

Victor Petreca, PhD, DNP, RN, PMHNP-BC, Boston College William Connell School of Nursing for his work as a forensic clinician, researcher, and mentor. Highlights from his nominations noted that he was the first nurse to run the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Center for Police Training in Crisis Intervention, his work on a forensic research project examining missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG), the use of his experience as a person of color and immigrant to work on the Stoughton English Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC), supporting the educational needs of students who speak English as a second language and included detailed examples of his capacity to lead and mentor individuals at all levels. Read Victor’s full nomination submissions here.

Said Deb Zimmermann, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, CEO of The DAISY Foundation, “The DAISY Foundation is thrilled to partner with the Academy of Forensic Nurses in honoring these extraordinary nurse leaders. Forensic nurses deliver critical care and advance the field through research, education, and leadership, profoundly impacting the lives of those they serve. The awards underscore the vital role these nurse leaders play in providing compassionate, expert care to those affected by violence, reflecting the shared mission of our organizations.”

Debra Holbrook, MSN, RN, FNE-A/P, SANE-A, DF-AFN, FAAN, President of AFN added, “We are grateful to the DAISY Foundation for including forensic nursing in its legacy of honoring nurse leaders. Our members strive every day to provide compassionate, research- and trauma-informed care. These awards shine the light on exemplary individuals who have dedicated their careers to the people they serve, their organizations, and the field of forensic nursing as a whole.”

The honorees will be presented with their awards at the AFN Las Vegas Regional Conference, September 18-19, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

About The DAISY Foundation

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family.  Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.)  The care Patrick and his family received from Nurses while he was ill inspired the creation of The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses, an evidenced-based means of providing Nurse recognition and thanking Nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

In addition to the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses, the Foundation expresses gratitude to the nursing profession internationally in nearly 7,000 healthcare facilities and schools of nursing with recognition programs that honor and celebrate Nurses, Nurse-led Teams and Nurse Leaders, in whatever role they serve, throughout their careers from Nursing Student through Lifetime Achievement and through the J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects and Medical Mission Grants. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org.

About AFN

The Academy of Forensic Nursing was founded in 2018 by visionary forensic nurses who wanted to expand and inform forensic nursing practice, link new and existing research to clinical care, promote education and advocate for policy at the federal and local levels. Core to our mission and our values is integrating equity and trauma-informed approaches into all our work in an inclusive manner.

The Academy, a 501c3 seeks to collaborate and build partnerships while transforming and informing how we respond to those impacted by all forms of trauma – individual, interpersonal, collective or structural. We believe that "we are stronger together" and that our collective and unique lenses are what will advance the field in meaningful and impactful ways. We believe not only in centering the services we provide, but also centering the individuals who provide those services. More information is available at https://www.goafn.org/