Award of Excellence in Leadership

Recognizes individuals who champion women’s and newborn health through advocacy and leadership that creates meaningful change.

In addition, candidates should demonstrate:

• Leadership that drives systems, organizational, or practice improvements.
• Advocacy at the local, state, or federal level.
• Mobilization of colleagues around legislative or health policy initiatives.
• Efforts that strengthen the nursing profession through policy, advocacy, or organizational leadership.

Awards of Excellence in Education

Recognizes outstanding educators who have advanced women’s health, obstetric, or neonatal nursing through excellence in teaching and professional development. Two awards are presented annually:

• Award of Excellence in Clinical Education – Honors excellence in clinical teaching, professional development, and the translation of evidence into practice.
• Award of Excellence in Scholarly Education – Honors excellence in academic teaching, curriculum development, and scholarly contributions to nursing education.

For either award, candidates should demonstrate:

• Excellence in teaching using innovative and evidence-based educational methods.
• Contributions to the nursing knowledge base.
• Educational impact at the Chapter, Section, national, or international level.
• Commitment to developing and mentoring future nursing professionals.

Award of Excellence in Practice

Recognizes nurses who advance clinical excellence in women’s health, obstetric, or neonatal nursing through evidence-based practice, innovation, quality improvement, and leadership that improves patient outcomes in clinical or community settings.

In addition, candidates should demonstrate:

• Excellence in clinical or community-based nursing practice.
• Leadership in quality improvement or practice innovation.
• Implementation of evidence-based care that improves outcomes.
• Professional contributions through publications, presentations, or dissemination of best practices.

Award of Excellence in Research

Recognizes nurse researchers whose scholarship advances women’s health, obstetric, and neonatal nursing through the generation, translation, and dissemination of evidence that improves patient care and health outcomes.

In addition, candidates should demonstrate:

• A strong record of funded and impactful research.
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Scholarship aligned with AWHONN's research priorities.
• Advancement of nursing research within AWHONN and the broader profession.

Award of Excellence in Global Health

Recognizes individuals dedicated to improving maternal and newborn health through ethical, culturally responsive, and equitable care in global and underserved communities, including Indigenous, refugee, and immigrant populations.

In addition, candidates should demonstrate:

• Commitment to culturally humble and evidence-based care.
• Ethical engagement that respects community knowledge, traditions, and lived experiences.
• Collaborative partnerships that improve access to equitable care.
• Sustainable, innovative solutions that produce measurable health outcomes.

Award of Excellence in Innovation

Recognizes individuals who advance women’s health, obstetric, or neonatal nursing through creative, forward-thinking solutions that improve care, education, technology, or organizational effectiveness. Please note, to be eligible for this award, the innovation must have been implemented within the past three years.

In addition, candidates should demonstrate:

• Development or implementation of innovative approaches that improve patient outcomes, learner engagement, or professional practice.
• Creative application of new or improved ideas in research, education, technology, organizational processes, and business models
• Measurable impact on patients, learners, healthcare professionals, AWHONN, or the nursing profession

Regardless of award category, All Awards of Excellence Candidates should demonstrate:

• Significant and sustained contributions to women’s and newborn health nursing.
• Alignment with AWHONN’s mission, values, and commitment to evidence-based practice.
• Measurable impact on patients, nursing practice, education, research, policy, or the profession.
• Leadership that inspires, mentors, or advances others.
• Contributions that extend beyond routine job responsibilities.

Eligibility

• All applicants must be a registered nurse; current or retired
• Candidates must be active voting AWHONN member for at least three (3) consecutive years prior to nomination and maintain active voting membership during the year of their nomination.

 Additional Information

• Candidates can be nominated for multiple awards but will only be considered for one. They can either specify their chosen award when submitting materials or if they submit applications for multiple awards; they will be asked to choose one award for which they would like to be considered before judging commences.
• Current AWHONN Board members, National Committee Chairs, Awards Committee members, and AWHONN staff are not eligible during their term of service and for two (2) years following the completion of their service.
• Following selection as an honoree, an awardee is ineligible to receive any further awards for a minimum period of three years.
• Award recipients may be invited to serve on a future Award Workgroup.
•  The number of applicants in each category will not be disclosed to any candidate to maintain fairness.
• AWHONN prohibits the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including text generators, paraphrasers, summarizers, and translators, in the preparation or submission of award applications. Applicants must submit original work and may be required to certify that AI tools were not used. AWHONN reserves the right to use appropriate review methods to verify compliance with this policy. Failure to adhere to this policy will result in disqualification of the application.

Recognition & Benefits

• Award recipients are recognized during the AWHONN Convention
• All travel-related expenses will be reimbursed to award honorees following the Convention in accordance with AWHONN reimbursement procedures. If an honoree requires advance arrangements for travel-related expenses, AWHONN will work with the individual to make appropriate accommodation whenever possible.

Nominating a nurse takes minutes! Use the button below to find out more and get started on this easy process. The deadline to submit your nomination is September 1, 2026. Those nominated will have additional time to complete their application. For questions, please reach out to awards@awhonn.org.