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MNA Nursing Awards
2010 Criteria
Criteria for each MNA Award are listed below as well as those characteristics which support the criteria and which will be considered in selecting award recipients. Recommendations submitted in support of the nomination should address how the nominee meets these criteria by including documentation of characteristics specific to the award.
Nominees for all but the Advocate for Nursing Award, the Kathryn McGinn Cutler Advocate for Health and Safety Award, and the Human Needs Service Award must be MNA members.
MNA Bargaining Unit Rookie of the Year Award recognizes a Labor Relations Program member who has been a member of the bargaining unit for 5 or less years and has made a significant contribution to the professional, economic and general welfare of a strong and unified bargaining unit.
Information to support this nomination:
- MNA member with current license to practice in Massachusetts or for non-RN’s full MNA Labor Relations Program membership.
- Has been a member of the bargaining unit for five or less years.
- Exhibits strong commitment to the Labor Relations Program by consistently facilitating a solid and unified bargaining unit.
- Supports the goals of the Labor Relations Program to achieve the goals of the unit
- Is a positive professional role model.
- Demonstrates dedication and persistence over time to the goals of his/her unit.
- Demonstrates perseverance despite risk of negative ramifications from supervisory staff.
MNA Excellence in Nursing Practice Award recognizes a member who demonstrates an outstanding performance in nursing practice. This award publicly acknowledges the essential contributions that nurses across all practice settings make to the health care of our society.
Information to support this nomination:
- Functions as role model for excellence in nursing practice.
- Direct care activity comprises 50% or more of practice.
- Contributes innovative, progressive ideas.
- Acts as a change agent to improve and enhance nursing practice.
- Demonstrates a commitment to the development of professional nursing, e.g., participation in professional organizations, committee work, community work and/or education programs.
- Acts as preceptor for nursing students or for new staff members.
Judith Shindul Rothschild Leadership Award recognizes an MNA member who speaks with a strong voice for the nursing community at the state and/or national level.
Information to support this nomination:
- A leader who alerts and rallies the nursing community when their professional rights are threatened.
- A leader who works toward an equitable health care system.
- A leader who bring forth solutions to the concerns of nurses.
- A highly respected and proven leader of the Nursing Community.
- Demonstrates leadership in bringing awareness of issues or problems to colleagues
- Leads in addressing inequalities in the health care system through publication, research and/or serving as a spokesperson
- Demonstrates an ability to recognize and evaluate important causes and assists in bringing forth effective solutions
MNA Nursing Education Award recognizes a member who is a nurse educator and who has made significant contributions to professional nursing education / continuing education or staff development.
Information to support this nomination:
-Contributes to professional nursing education in one or more of the following ways:
Professional Nursing Education - Diploma, AD, BS, MS, Doctoral Studies:
- Demonstrates creativity in instructional material, teaching or evaluation methodology.
- Demonstrates a positive image of the nurse educator within his/her educational setting by leadership on committees, advisor to student groups and/or role model to students and to other professionals.
- Demonstrates leadership at state or national level by holding leadership positions in MNA, being an educational consultant or being a nursing education program reviewer for national accrediting bodies.
- Has authored publications on Nursing Education.
- Contributes to nursing education at local, state, or national level.
MNA Nursing Education Award recognizes a member who is a nurse educator and who has made significant contributions to formal nursing education/continuing education or staff development.
Information to support this nomination:
Contributes to staff development/continuing education in one or more of the following ways:
Continuing Education/Staff Development:
- Creatively implements the standards of nursing practice.
- Has authored publications on staff development/continuing education.
- Demonstrates creativity in conduction of needs assessment, preparation of instructional materials, marketing of programs and instructional methods and evaluation.
- Identifies and utilizes a variety of resources; stimulates learner interest.
- Develops special projects.
- Demonstrates a positive image at the local/state or national level by participation/leadership on committees.
- Contributes to staff development/continuing education at local, state or national level.
MNA Research Award recognizes a member or group of members who have effectively conducted or utilized research in their practice.
Information to support this nomination:
- Identifies a part of nursing practice not founded on research or requires further research.
- Critically reviews research related to that practice.
- Develops a new way to give nursing care based on the research outcomes.
- Evaluates the effect of the new process for giving care.
- Has completed research beneficial to the nursing profession.
- Has communicated research to the nursing community through refereed journal publications.
- Demonstrates a developing contribution to nursing research.
- Has completed post-Baccalaureate or post-Master’s research for purposes other than fulfilling degree requirements.
Elaine Cooney Labor Relations Award recognizes a Labor Relations Program member who has made a significant contribution to the professional, economic and general welfare of nursing.
Information to support this nomination:
- MNA member with current license to practice in Massachusetts or for non-RN’s full MNA Labor Relations Program membership
- Exhibits strong commitment to the Labor Relations Program by serving on local committees (describe).
- Supports the Labor Program.
- Is a positive, professional role model.
- Demonstrates leadership skills.
Kathryn McGinn Cutler Advocate for Health and Safety Award recognizes an individual or group that has performed outstanding service for the betterment of health and safety for the protection of nurses and other health care workers.
Information to Support This Nomination:
- Demonstrates a pioneering and/or groundbreaking approach to protecting the health and safety of nurses and other health care workers.
- Demonstrates courage, knowledge and/or activism by promoting or implementing a health and safety issue or concern.
- Initiates effective change in the system that affects health and safety in the work environment utilizing the hierarchy of controls for health and safety that include elimination of the hazard, substitution of a safer product or process, engineering controls that eliminate the exposure or the use of personal protective equipment.
- Involves a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving and change.
MNA Advocate for Nursing Award recognizes the contributions of an individual, who is not a nurse, to nurses and the nursing profession.
Information to support this nomination:
- Utilizes the public media, literature, legislation, community or other activities in support of nurses and/or nursing
- Advocates for nurses and/or the nursing profession.
MNA Human Needs Service Award recognizes an individual who has performed outstanding services based on human need, with respect for human dignity, unrestricted by consideration of nationality, race, creed, color, or status.
Information to support this nomination:
- Has performed outstanding services based on the human need. (Specify and describe services, population, and settings.)
- Has shown respect for human dignity, unrestricted by consideration of nationality, race, creed, color or status.
- Has effected significant change in the human condition.
MNA Image of the Professional Nurse Award recognizes a member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in enhancing the image of the professional nurse in the community.
Information to support this nomination:
- Demonstrates leadership through projects, publications, media, advocacy, role modeling, etc.
- Enhances the image of the professional nurse in the community, e.g., at the local, state or national level.
Doris Gagne Addictions Nursing Award recognizes a nurse or other healthcare provider who demonstrates outstanding leadership in the field of addictions.
Information to support this nomination:
- MNA member with current license to practice in Massachusetts or for non-RN’s full MNA Labor Relations Program membership.
- Exhibits strong commitment to the field of Addictions
- Demonstrates leadership in the recognition and support of nurses with a substance abuse problem
- Demonstrates courage, knowledge and/or activism by promoting information that supports nurses in recovery
- Serves as a role model or mentor to nurses within the field of addictions.
