Nightingale Nursing Awards Categories and How to Nominate a Nurse

Do you know a Pennsylvania nurse who is amazing? Does he or she: Enhance quality patient care? Exhibit excellence in the nursing process? Demonstrate exemplary interpersonal and leadership skills? Participate in community affairs? ​If so, nominate this person for a Nightingale Nursing Award!

2026 nominations will open in January

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Nursing Award Categories

Today's nurses work in a wide variety of roles and positions. Please select one category that best describes your nominee's contributions and achievements to their organization and/or patient population served. Scroll down to read category descriptions.

• Clinical Practice LPN
• Clinical Practice RN
• Clinical Advanced Practice RN 
• Community Nursing - RN or LPN
• Nursing Administration - Leader/Manager/Director
• Nursing Administration - Senior Level/Executive
• Nursing Administration - Nursing Informatics
• Nursing Research
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
• Nursing Education - Academia
• Nursing Education - Staff Development​​​

 ​

How to Nominate a Nurse

Anyone may nominate a nurse for a Nightingale Award.
Nominees must work in Pennsylvania.​

1. Pick a category from the list on this page. A nurse may only be nominated in one category. 
2. Click the NOMINATE A NURSE button to open the online submission system.
3. Submit contact information for the nominee, nominator and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).
4. Provide information about the nominee's education, certifications, community involvement, honors/awards, professional memberships, etc. See the full list of demographic information you will need to complete the nomination HERE.
5. Answer the required questions about the nominee's excellence in nursing.
6. Obtain signatures from the following people: nominator, nominee, and the CNO, Director or CEO. Upload the completed Signature Form into the submission system

---

Selection Process
A team of reviewers blindly scores the nominations and identifies finalists in each award category. Finalists are invited to attend the Awards Gala, where they will be honored, and the award recipients in each category will be announced. Read more.

---

Award Category Descriptions

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 while demonstrating superior nursing clinical skills and extraordinary compassion. Exceptional communication skills enhance their contribution to the meeting the health needs of the community while advancing the profession. Awards to apply for are:

Clinical Practice LPN
Clinical Practice RN
Clinical 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.
Community Nursing - RN or LPN - This category is for non-acute care nurses, i.e. hospice/home care, parish nurse, school nurse.
  
Nursing Administration Awards
Nurse administrators nominated for these awards are recognized for creating and sustaining supportive environments for the practice of nursing in challenging and diverse arenas. The nominees 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 healthcare needs of their communities. Awards to apply for are:

Nursing Administration - Leader/Manager/Director
This person is a non-executive clinical practice leader/manager, who influences the quality of patient care with a focus on infrastructure support and positive clinical outcomes. 

Nursing Administration - Senior Level/Executive
This person works in the upper level of nursing leadership and management (for example, CNO, CEO, COO, senior level leader), demonstrates visionary leadership, implements innovations, and promotes effective financial stewardship of operational human resources.  

Nursing Administration - Nursing Informatics
This person acts as the bridge between information technology and nursing practice. He or she applies clinical nursing experience to ensure optimization of the electronic medical record and healthcare software systems. The person safeguards nursing practice as it applies to the electronic environment, ensuring the integrity and maximization of nursing documentation while adhering to nursing practice standards. He or she guides new technology and process implementation and stewards all data and electronic health documentation processes related to nursing care.

Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Awards
Nursing Research
This person is a nurse at any level who is conducting research. He or she is committed to excellence in nursing practice through research, receives grants and publishes findings that enhance nursing practice education and patient care in academic and clinical practice settings. 

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
This person contributes to healthcare improvements via practice and clinical scholarship; demonstrates noteworthy involvement or influence in healthcare policy and advocacy; contributes to inter-professional collaboration; improves patient and/or population health; and significantly contributes to the advancement of nursing practice. 

Nursing Education Awards
This person demonstrates the ability to inspire nursing students and practicing nurses. He or she creatively stimulates students and colleagues to pursue the knowledge and skills needed to practice nursing compassionately and effectively. Awards to apply for are:

Nursing Education - Academia
This person is an inspiration to students and cultivates a supportive learning environment.The emphasis is on scholarly research and dissemination of research through education. 

Nursing Education - Staff Development
This person strives for clinical education and practice excellence and shares knowledge with others. The emphasis is on promoting evidence-based practices within a clinical setting.