The purpose of the Awards Committee is to coordinate the awards program of the Wisconsin Nurses Association. The functions of the committee are to:

  1. Review criteria for award selection and revise as needed.
  2. Review proposals for new awards and for sponsorship; forward to the WNA Board of Directors for final approval.
  3. Review nominees for all awards recommended by structural units or individual members.  Recommendations will then be forwarded by the Awards Committee to the WNA Board of Directors for approval and arrangements made for notification of recipients.
  4. Submit budget proposal and administer designated funds.
  5. Ensure obtaining of award gifts (e.g. plaques).
  6. Coordinate the call for award nominees with WNA staff: using The Wisconsin Nurse and electronic communication. .
  7. Coordinate award presentations at Awards Banquet.
  8. Evaluate the Awards program and make changes as needed.

List of Awards:

  1. Signe Cooper Image of Nursing Award. The recipient of this award is involved in activities that enhance the image of professional nursing and the image of WNA.
  2. Vivien DeBack Leadership Award. The recipient of this award is involved in activities that demonstrate innovation in the advancement of the profession.
  3. Service to WNA Award. The recipient of this award exhibits outstanding participation in the WNA, including (but not limited to) service through elected office and committee involvement.
  4. Community Service Award. The recipient exercises extraordinary contributions to public education, community outreach, and health promotion.
  5. Rita Kisting Sparks Excellence in Nursing Education Award. The recipient of this award demonstrates extraordinary contribution to excellence in nursing education for students and to the development and implementation of continuing education.
  6. Nursing Practice Award. The recipient of this award is involved in activities that demonstrate innovations in patient care; role model for nursing practice; commitment to the practice of professional nurse; and utilization/dissemination of research in practice.
  7. Norma Lang Excellence in Nursing Research Award. The recipient of this award conducts original research of relevance to nursing practice and theory development in nursing; serves as principal investigator on externally funded, peer reviewed nursing research projects; generates a substantial record of data-based, referenced publications; delivers invited research presentations at professional/scientific meetings; and communicates nursing research to the general public and the nursing community.
  8. Staff Nurse Advocacy Award. This award is given to recognize excellence in individual staff nurses who provide direct patient care in all practice settings and who advocate for their patients.  The recipient has demonstrated outstanding advocacy in a clinical setting at the staff nurse level.
  9. Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year Award. This award is selected by the WNA APRN Forum.  The recipient is employed as an Advanced Practice Nurse, demonstrates expert knowledge and practice in an APN clinical area of nursing, demonstrates involvement and contributions in the areas of patient care, consultation, education, or research and demonstrates leadership within the nursing profession.
  10. Barbara Nichols Political Nurse Award. This award is selected by the Wisconsin Nurses Political Action Committee (WINPAC).  The recipient demonstrates involvement in political activities that promote quality of care; acts as a positive role model in his/her use of the political process to advance health care and/or nursing; encourages nurses to become involved in the political process; promotes the education of nurses and consumers in the use of the political process and the value of involvement in governmental affairs; and promotes increased political awareness and involvement within professional organizations.
  11. Lillian Mood Award. This award is selected by the Wisconsin Environmental Health Nursing Coalition (WEHNC), a mutual interest group of the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA).  The recipient is a nurse who demonstrates excellence in incorporating environmental health into his/her practice.