The Annual NACNS Armed Forces Clinical Nurse Specialist of the Year Award will be presented during the 2023 Annual Conference.

The purpose of the award is to nationally recognize an NACNS member for outstanding professional achievement as an Armed Forces Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in the three spheres of CNS impact. The award acknowledges a CNS who demonstrates competencies and exemplary practice in patient care, nursing, and health care delivery systems.

Please review the criteria and submit a completed application with corresponding rationale supporting candidates who you recommend for this award.

The application period is now closed.

Winners will be informed in December 2022.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

1. The candidate may be nominated by a CNS.
2. Candidate meets their state of residence’s requirements for CNS recognition by their state board of nursing.
3. Active membership in NACNS for at least two years.
4. The candidate must have at least two years of experience as a Clinical Nurse Specialist.
5. The candidate must have been educated as a CNS in a masters, post-masters or doctoral program.
6. The candidate must be Armed Forces CNS (active duty, reservist, or guard).
7. If selected, the candidate must agree to attend the NACNS annual conference and provide a photo suitable for inclusion in the conference program brochure.
8. The candidate must demonstrate the following criteria:

• • Serves as a role model to nursing colleagues. Advocates for nursing involvement at the Defense Health Agency level and NACNS Armed Forces Affiliate.
  • Maintains an outstanding level of skill and knowledge in their specialty area.
  • Utilizes or demonstrates CNS competence in all 3 spheres of impact in meeting the goals of the Quadruple Aim Performance Plan.
  • Demonstrates quality patient outcomes as a result of his/her practice in direct and/or indirect patient/client activities.
  • Supports nurses in the delivery of patient care, safety, or the advancement of nursing practice and wartime readiness.
  • Promotes change including evidence-based practice/research, knowledge dissemination or collaboration at the system level to improve or impact patient care via TriService Nursing Research Program (TSNRP), Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), or specialty professional organization.

Award: 

A plaque recognizing the winner will be presented at the NACNS conference and the winner will be featured in the CNS journal. Nontransferable complimentary one day NACNS conference registration will also be awarded.

Selection:

Applications received by the deadline will undergo review by the selection committee appointed by the Board of Directors. Award recipients will receive an email letter announcing if they have received their award and the day and time the award is planned to be presented. All candidate information/packet must be received by October 21, 2022. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Instructions:

Submit nomination package electronically via the form listed below.

Nomination Packet includes: 

1. One letter of recommendation from a colleague who can affirm and speak to the candidate’s CNS work, limited to 2-page maximum.
   • Each of the criteria must be addressed in the letter with specific examples
   • Instead of using name, the nominator must refer to them as candidate.
   • Indicate how the nominator knows the nominee (e.g., in what capacity/role, how long)
2. A copy of the nominee’s current CV/resumé.
3. Nomination letter and current CV will be submitted together in one pdf.
4. All submissions must be typed copy.
5. Selection is made based only on the information submitted.
6. All information will remain strictly confidential and will not be returned.
7. Winner will be notified by December 2022. Upon notification, the winner will be asked to submit an official picture for recognition at the next conference.