Each year, MNA presents multiple awards to honor its members. Below are the criteria for nominations:
NOMINATIONS PROCEDURE
- Nominee must be a current member of MNA unless otherwise stated on the below award list.
- Nominations must be submitted on this form.
- If you are submitting more than one nomination, each nomination must be submitted on separate forms with the applicable award checked.
- Must be submitted before September 13th.
Award Criteria and Founders
*Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award* -- Founded in honor of Trudy Malone, RN
This award recognizes a member of MNA for outstanding contributions made to professional nursing. A candidate must:
- Demonstrate dynamic leadership in promoting excellence in nursing,
- Demonstrate the knowledge of current issues in relation to the goals of the nursing profession,
- Show a keen awareness and commitment to professional nursing ethics,
- Initiate positive action toward the improvement of patient care,
- Demonstrate the ability to work well with other members of the health care team.
*Economic & General Welfare Achievement Award* -- Founded in honor of Eileen Robbins, RN
This award recognizes a member(s) of MNA at the local unit level who has influenced their work setting through collective bargaining activities. A candidate must:
- Demonstrate commitment to professional nursing via individual practice competency and continuing educational growth,
- Use contract language to define, monitor, and enhance nursing practice in the work environment,
- Function as an active leader within the local unit through past or present elected office and committee participation.
*Excellence for Advanced Practice Registered Nurse of the Year Award*
This award recognizes an APRN member of MNA who has demonstrated excellence in their practice specialty area and who has made significant contributions to health care and the professional growth of APRNs. A candidate must:
- Demonstrate excellence as an APRN and as a role model for other APRNs and the nursing profession in general,
- Be involved as a preceptor, educator, advocate, in the political arena, etc.,
- Have made a significant contribution to the improvement of health care for individuals, families or communities,
- Be creative in his/her approach to nursing care,
- Have a positive effect on clients and on colleagues,
- Utilize current research in practice.
*Excellence in Nursing Education Award* -- Founded in honor of Peggy Mussehl, RN (Continuing Education) and Anna Shannon, RN (Formal Education)
This award recognizes a member(s)/staff of MNA for professional nurse contributions in the field of either formal education and/or continuing education. A candidate must:
- Have significant involvement and commitment to advancing nursing education,
- Expand the body of nursing knowledge through research or other scholarly activities,
- Challenge learner to achieve optimal level of accomplishment.
*Friend of Nursing Award* -- Founded in honor of Barbara Booher
This award recognizes a non-nurse who has advocated for and/or significantly advanced nursing in Montana. The candidate must:
- Show significant long-term contributions made by a non-nurse to Montana's professional nursing community,
- Facilitate significant accomplishments for the Association,
- Play a key role in assisting major successes within the professional nursing community.
*MNA Historian Award*
This award recognizes an MNA member/staff who has demonstrated a consistent, distinct interest in nursing history. A candidate must:
- Participate in preservation of historical nursing documents,
- Promote interest in nursing history,
- Promote MNA's History & Literary Endowment Fund.
*Political Nurse Leadership Award* -- Founded in honor of Mary Munger, RN
This award recognizes an MNA member/staff who has made significant contributions to nursing practice and health policy through political and legislative activity. A candidate must:
- Promote the nursing profession in political and health care arenas,
- Advance the knowledge of nurses, politicians, and policy makers concerning nursing and health care issues,
- Demonstrates political leadership at the district, state, or national levels,
- Serve as a mentor and role model to other nurses in the political process,
- Seek opportunities to advance Nursing's legislative agenda through grassroots activity.
*Promotion of Nursing Excellence in Media Arts* -- Founded in honor of Lynn Hebert
This award recognizes a MNA member/MNA staff or non-nurse for contributions in the field of journalism. The candidate must:
- Significantly contribute to news print publication(s) of timely articles and/or photographs regarding nurses/nursing;
- Actively contribute to the promotion of excellence in nursing through any or all media modes.
Click the link to be directed to the Award Nomination form: Award Nomination Form
