The Kansas State Nurses Association proudly honors exceptional contributions to nursing excellence across the state through its distinguished awards program. Whether recognizing lifelong leadership in the Hall of Fame Award, celebrating educational innovation with the Excellence in Continuing Education Award, acknowledging outstanding employer partnerships via the Florence J. Nelson Outstanding Nurse Employer Award, or highlighting dedicated nursing professionals and supporters through Honorary Recognition, each accolade underscores KSNA’s commitment to advancing professional standards and elevating care in Kansas. EMPOWERING the growth and recognition of outstanding nursing performance statewide—our awards shine a light on individuals and organizations whose dedication defines excellence in nursing practice and advocacy.
NOMINATIONS ARE DUE BY SEPTEMBER 15 TO THE KSNA OFFICE
Awards are presented during the KSNA Annual Membership Assembly Business Meeting. Winners will also be announced in the Kansas Nurse and online.
KSNA recognizes nurses who exceed the minimum criteria for continuing education in Kansas. A Certificate of Excellence in Continuing Education will be awarded to qualified professional nurses. The names of those achieving this level of recognition will be awarded a certificate at the KSNA Awards Luncheon during membership assembly and have their names published in the winter issue of The Kansas Nurse. In addition to CE program attendance, publications as well as research may be considered towards completion of requirements for this recognition. Please upload a copy of the article, book index page with name and date of publication, and a signed affidavit attesting to the applicant’s role in the submitted research. The time frame must correspond with the applicant’s Kansas license renewal period.
There are two tracts to achieving this award. Tract I recognizes professional nurses who have acquired 60 or more CNE hours over a two-year period. Tract II recognizes professional nurses who have earned a minimum of 30 CNE hours plus an additional 30 CNE hours in one or more of these areas: program presentation (two hours for one hour presented, KSBN); publication of an article in a professional journal (20 hours); participation in research—data collection/research assistant (five hours), secondary investigator (15 hours), or primary investigator (30 hours).
The KSNA Editorial Board will select up to three awards for articles published in The Kansas Nurse each year. Categories for articles considered will be clinical, non-clinical, and research. All selected articles and authors will be recognized.
This award is presented to an employer of nurses that provides a good atmosphere for the practice of nursing based on specific criteria. Nursing policies and practices of this employer are congruent with the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses, ANA Standards for Nursing Practice, the Kansas State Nurse Practice Act, standards of the agency accreditation body, and the requirements of the agency regulatory body.
The employer:
- Provides support for nurses’ membership and participation in their professional association including attendance at related meetings
- Provides opportunities for nursing administration to participate in top level decision-making
- Provides support for ongoing nursing education through promotional strategies, scholarship resources, continuing nursing education, or other equivalent methods to meet patient needs
- Provides a compensation system for nurses that recognizes education, experience, competence, length of service, which is commensurate with nursing responsibilities
- Provides adequate orientation and support for nursing practice
- Recognizes that nursing practice is a distinct and separate entity from other types of health care, is an integral part of health care, and promotes collegial relationships between all professions
- Provides effective support services at all times nurses are on duty
- Supports performing and utilizing nursing studies and research to improve patient care services; and
- Ensures nursing administration has sufficient autonomy and budget control to be accountable for nursing.
KSNA Hall of Fame recognizes nurses, both living and deceased, who have demonstrated excellence through sustained, lifelong contributions affecting the health or social history of Kansas through the profession of nursing. It is recommended that you first contact the KSNA office at or 785-233-8638 x300 before nominating for this award.
This award is presented to someone who has rendered distinguished service to the nursing profession at the district, state and/or national levels.
The Nurse of the Year Award is presented to individual nurses for demonstrated excellence in one of the practice areas listed above. Each recipient shows a commitment to nursing, practices self-direction and professional growth, is enthusiastic toward their work, exhibits leadership at work and in the community, uses a full range of skills in relation to nurse practice and/or education, integrates changes occurring in nursing, acts as a client advocate, and engages in activities outside of nursing. All award nominations are limited to KSNA members.
Nurse of the Year Award—Education
Provide a summary of the nominee’s accomplishments on the nomination form using the following criteria:
- Uses innovative and creative teaching strategies
- Demonstrates excellence in knowledge of subject area
- Serves as a role model
- Has positive impact on students, staff, and patients.
Nurse of the Year Award—Practice
Provide a summary of the nominee’s accomplishments on the nomination form using the following criteria:
- Provides innovative and creative nursing care
- Demonstrates excellence in knowledge of practice area
- Serves as a role model
- Has positive impact on patients, peers, and work setting.
Nurse of the Year Award—Advanced Practice
Provide a summary of the nominee’s accomplishments on the nomination form using the following criteria:
- Provides innovative and creative nursing care
- Demonstrates excellence in knowledge of practice area
- Serves as a role model
- Has positive impact on patients, peers, and work setting.
Nurse of the Year Award—Administration
Provide a summary of the nominee’s accomplishments on the nomination form using the following criteria:
- Uses innovative and creative management strategies
- Demonstrates excellence in leadership
- Serves as a role model
- Has positive impact on work setting.
Nurse of the Year Award—Research
Provide a summary of the nominee’s accomplishments on the nomination form using the following criteria:
- Demonstrates excellent research capabilities
- Establishes relevance of research to the nursing profession
- Serves as a role model
- Demonstrates positive research impact.
Recognizes a nurse who contributes to social or civic organizations that benefit citizens or communities through non-compensated volunteer service. The recipient will have demonstrated service over a three-year period; must be actively engaged in services that are not part of employment; has committed significant time and versatility to the organization or community they represent and is committed to the social or civic organization without thought or reward to oneself and serves in a labor of love.
The Devine Award recognizes the outstanding contribution of one psychiatric/mental health nurse and calls this achievement to the attention of the nursing profession as well as the general public. The recipient is chosen based on the following criteria:
The recipient:
- Provided direct involvement in psychiatric/mental health nursing through clinical practice, teaching, administration and/or research with at least five years in the field
- Demonstrated effect on raising the quality of care given to clients through scholarly pursuits, research writing, education and/or practice
- Demonstrated ability to apply standards of practice and/or facilitated implementation by others
- Evidenced involvement in continuing nursing education in the field as a participant, organizer or sponsor; and
- Provided a distinguished contribution to client care at the local, state or national levels.
NOMINATIONS ARE CURRENTLY OPEN!