Nursing Awards
Do You Know a Pennsylvania Nurse Who is Amazing?
Does he or she: Enhance quality patient care? Exhibit excellence in the nursing process? Use exemplary interpersonal and leadership skills? Participate in community affairs? If so, we'd love to hear from you!
2025 Applications are open!
The deadline to submit your nomination is June 15, 2025.
The deadline to submit your nomination is June 15, 2025.
Award CategoriesEach award recognizes exceptional nurses in the areas of:
Scroll down to read the descriptions of these award categories. Nurses can be nominated in only one category. |
Submitting a NominationHere's what you'll need to do:
Nominees must work in Pennsylvania. |
Please Note
With so many more specialized nurses holding diverse and innovative roles/positions in the nursing profession, today's nurses are transforming healthcare. Please select the category that best describes your nominee's contributions and achievements to their organization and/or patient population served.
The awards are based on the demonstration of excellence in several areas, including how each nurse significantly influences the quality of patient care, creates a collaborative environment for the practice of nursing, models caring and compassion, and contributes to healing and health in the community.
With so many more specialized nurses holding diverse and innovative roles/positions in the nursing profession, today's nurses are transforming healthcare. Please select the category that best describes your nominee's contributions and achievements to their organization and/or patient population served.
The awards are based on the demonstration of excellence in several areas, including how each nurse significantly influences the quality of patient care, creates a collaborative environment for the practice of nursing, models caring and compassion, and contributes to healing and health in the community.
Selection Process - Reviewing Nominations
Once the nomination window closes, we have a team of reviewers who blindly scores the nominations and identifies the finalists across each award category. Those finalists are invited to attend the Awards Gala, where they will be honored, and the (top-scoring) winner in each category will be announced. Read more.
Once the nomination window closes, we have a team of reviewers who blindly scores the nominations and identifies the finalists across each award category. Those finalists are invited to attend the Awards Gala, where they will be honored, and the (top-scoring) winner in each category will be announced. Read more.
Descriptions for Each Award Category
Clinical Practice Awards
Awards are given to a licensed practical nurse, registered professional nurse, and advanced practice registered nurse. Nurses nominated for these awards are recognized for providing an outstanding quality of patient care, superior nursing clinical skills, and extraordinary compassion. Exceptional communication skills enhance their contribution to the health needs of the community while advancing the profession. Awards to apply for are:
Advanced Practice RN - This category is for Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Masters-prepared nurses working in an advanced practice setting.
Clinical Practice RN
Clinical Practice LPN
Community Nursing RN or LPN - This category is for non-acute care nurses, i.e. Hospice/Home Care, Parish Nurse, School Nurse, etc.
Nursing Administration
Nurse administrators nominated for this award are recognized for creating and sustaining supportive environments for the practice of nursing in challenging and diverse arenas. The nominees for this award initiate positive recruitment and retention strategies and support a model of professional practice in their organization through their leadership, innovation, mentoring and knowledge of the health care needs of their communities.
Nursing Administration - Leader/Manager/Director
The emphasis is on a (non-executive) clinical practice leader/manager, an individual who influences the quality of patient care with a focus on infrastructure support and positive clinical outcomes.
Nursing Administration - Senior Level/Executive
The emphasis is on an upper level of nursing leadership and management (for example, CNO, CEO, COO, senior level leader, etc.), an individual who demonstrates visionary leadership, implements innovations, and promotes effective financial stewardship of operational human resources.
**NEW! Nursing Administration - Nursing Informatics
Nurses nominated for this award are recognized as nurses for being the bridge between information technology and nursing practice. This nurse will demonstrate how, in their role, they apply clinical nursing experience to ensure optimization of the electronic medical record and healthcare software systems. They serve as the safeguard of nursing practice as it applies to the electronic environment. They ensure the integrity and maximization of nursing documentation while adhering to nursing practice standards. They guide new technology and process implementation and steward all data and electronic health documentation processes related to nursing care.
Research and Evidence-Based Practice Nursing
Nursing Research
Research is the foundation of current nursing practice and the basis for future nursing practice. Nominees for this award are committed to excellence in nursing practice through research. These nurse researchers receive grants and publish findings that enhance nursing practice education and patient care in academic and clinical practice settings. *This award is open to nurses at any level conducting research.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Curricula within the DNP framework builds on traditional graduate programs by providing education in research/evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership, among other key areas. Nominees for this award exhibit healthcare improvements and contributions via practice and clinical scholarship; demonstrate noteworthy involvement or influence in healthcare policy and advocacy; contribute to inter-professional collaboration and improve patient and/or population health; and significantly contribute to the advancement of nursing practice.
Nursing Education Awards
The search for knowledge holds the promise for the future. Nurse educators nominated for these awards demonstrate the ability to inspire nursing students and practicing nurses. They creatively stimulate students and colleagues to pursue the knowledge and skills needed to practice nursing compassionately and effectively.
Nursing Education - Academia
The emphasis for this award category is on scholarly research and dissemination of research through education. Nominees are individuals who are an inspiration to students and cultivate a supportive learning environment.
Nursing Education - Staff Development
The emphasis for this award category is on promoting evidence-based practices within a clinical setting. Nominees are individuals who strive for clinical education and practice excellence and share knowledge with others.
Patient Choice Award
Nominate an individual nurse or a nursing team. Read the details.
Awards are given to a licensed practical nurse, registered professional nurse, and advanced practice registered nurse. Nurses nominated for these awards are recognized for providing an outstanding quality of patient care, superior nursing clinical skills, and extraordinary compassion. Exceptional communication skills enhance their contribution to the health needs of the community while advancing the profession. Awards to apply for are:
Advanced Practice RN - This category is for Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Masters-prepared nurses working in an advanced practice setting.
Clinical Practice RN
Clinical Practice LPN
Community Nursing RN or LPN - This category is for non-acute care nurses, i.e. Hospice/Home Care, Parish Nurse, School Nurse, etc.
Nursing Administration
Nurse administrators nominated for this award are recognized for creating and sustaining supportive environments for the practice of nursing in challenging and diverse arenas. The nominees for this award initiate positive recruitment and retention strategies and support a model of professional practice in their organization through their leadership, innovation, mentoring and knowledge of the health care needs of their communities.
Nursing Administration - Leader/Manager/Director
The emphasis is on a (non-executive) clinical practice leader/manager, an individual who influences the quality of patient care with a focus on infrastructure support and positive clinical outcomes.
Nursing Administration - Senior Level/Executive
The emphasis is on an upper level of nursing leadership and management (for example, CNO, CEO, COO, senior level leader, etc.), an individual who demonstrates visionary leadership, implements innovations, and promotes effective financial stewardship of operational human resources.
**NEW! Nursing Administration - Nursing Informatics
Nurses nominated for this award are recognized as nurses for being the bridge between information technology and nursing practice. This nurse will demonstrate how, in their role, they apply clinical nursing experience to ensure optimization of the electronic medical record and healthcare software systems. They serve as the safeguard of nursing practice as it applies to the electronic environment. They ensure the integrity and maximization of nursing documentation while adhering to nursing practice standards. They guide new technology and process implementation and steward all data and electronic health documentation processes related to nursing care.
Research and Evidence-Based Practice Nursing
Nursing Research
Research is the foundation of current nursing practice and the basis for future nursing practice. Nominees for this award are committed to excellence in nursing practice through research. These nurse researchers receive grants and publish findings that enhance nursing practice education and patient care in academic and clinical practice settings. *This award is open to nurses at any level conducting research.
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Curricula within the DNP framework builds on traditional graduate programs by providing education in research/evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership, among other key areas. Nominees for this award exhibit healthcare improvements and contributions via practice and clinical scholarship; demonstrate noteworthy involvement or influence in healthcare policy and advocacy; contribute to inter-professional collaboration and improve patient and/or population health; and significantly contribute to the advancement of nursing practice.
Nursing Education Awards
The search for knowledge holds the promise for the future. Nurse educators nominated for these awards demonstrate the ability to inspire nursing students and practicing nurses. They creatively stimulate students and colleagues to pursue the knowledge and skills needed to practice nursing compassionately and effectively.
Nursing Education - Academia
The emphasis for this award category is on scholarly research and dissemination of research through education. Nominees are individuals who are an inspiration to students and cultivate a supportive learning environment.
Nursing Education - Staff Development
The emphasis for this award category is on promoting evidence-based practices within a clinical setting. Nominees are individuals who strive for clinical education and practice excellence and share knowledge with others.
Patient Choice Award
Nominate an individual nurse or a nursing team. Read the details.
