NANN's Awards Program

Is there someone who has inspired you, perhaps on a daily basis, to be all that you can be? Is there a person who mentors you or sets the bar for standards for quality patient care? What colleague of yours deserves peer recognition for enthusiasm, knowledge, or a willingness to unselfishly devote his or her time? Maybe your chapter deserves recognition for its efforts to raise money for a March of Dimes walk, to host a conference, or to conduct a membership drive.
If you have answered yes to any of these questions, please take time to nominate a deserving colleague and take pride in knowing that award recipients honor you and your profession. Start thinking now about nominees for the award categories listed below:

• Robyn Main Excellence in Clinical Practice Award: Any NANN member can nominate a Robyn Main candidate to recognize and encourage excellence in direct patient care.  (This award is sponsored by Draeger Medical, Inc.)
• Leadership Award: Open to any NANN member  in a leadership role, the purpose of this award is to encourage excellence in leadership. 
• Navigator Award: The Navigator Award will go to a NANN member who consistently demonstrates the power of mentoring as a force for decreasing turnover rates, fostering camaraderie, and for the positive growth and development of new nurses into the specialty of neonatal nursing.
• Chapter of the Year and Individual Chapter Project Awards: Chapters "self-nominate" so don't be modest! There is one recipient of the Chapter of the Year Award, which recognizes a group's overall accomplishments. Five other Individual Project Awards are offered for chapter communications, community service, educational offerings, fundraising, and membership recruitment and retention.
• NNP Excellence Award - Awarded by the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NANNP), the purpose of this award is to recognize a neonatal nurse practitioner who advances the mission and vision of NANNP through exemplary practice, leadership, service, and education. Applicants must be NANNP members and actively practicing neonatal nurse practitioners.

The submission deadline is June 1. Don't miss your chance to honor a colleague or your chapter!

Recipient History

2008 Award Recipients

Distinguished Service Award Jacqueline McGrath, PhD, RN, FAAN has played the key leadership role in the development of the Advanced Competency in Developmental Care - the result of 2 years of coordinating the work of 3 subcommittees and an outside consultant.  The concept of a portfolio combined with a branching scenario-based assessment was Jackie's original idea, and is well-suited to the content area of developmental care.  This new competence assessment program will help to promote the spread of developmental care into the daily practice of NICU nurses, furthering the mission of NANN and enhancing the care that neonatal nurses provide to their patients.  Jacqueline is an Associate Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, and also a Center Affiliate for the Center for Biobehavioral Clinical Research in the School of Nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Excellence Award Supported by Discovery Laboratories, Inc. Laurie Roselli, CRNP BSN MSN has fifteen years experience in Level III Neonatal Units, and currently works as an NNP Coordinator at University of California Davis Medical Center.  At UC Davis, Laurie developed a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Service, contributed to the hiring of additional NNP's, wrote and revised a Standardized Procedure Manual for NNP's, and developed an affiliation with the University of California San Francisco School of Nursing to mentor and precept NNP students.  One of Laurie's nominators says, "This candidate has consistently filled critical gaps to assure quality patient care and supervision.  She is truly a team player."  Laurie continues to pursue her vision to sustain and promote the utilization of NNP's full potential within an ever changing health care system.

Outstanding Achievement in Neonatal Nursing Anita Catlin DNSc, FNP, FAAN is a very active leader in the field of nursing.  Focusing on bereavement, ethics and end of life care, Dr. Catlin has been a spokesperson for both babies and families, and for staff who deal with these complex issues in the NICU. Dr. Catlin is a series editor on ethics for Advances in Neonatal Care. She also served NANN on the communications committee, and was a recipient of the NANN Research Abstract Award in 2005.  Dr. Catlin is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Nursing, Ethics and Health Policy, and is also the Director of Leadership and Management Administrative and Education tracks at Sonoma State University.

Leadership Award Melissa White was described by her nominator as being, "a real triple threat - Her clinical skills, both technical procedures and fund-of-knowledge are superb. Her parent interactions are a model for her colleagues, both NNPs and MDs And her academic achievements are superb."  Melissa is a neonatal nurse practitioner at the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital where she is also Manager of the NNP Program in the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  Melissa is a leader and role model for nursing and has an extraordinary record of service to her profession.

Research Abstract Award Nancy Rodriguez, APN/CNP received the Research Abstract Award for her paper presentation, "A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study of the Oropharyngeal Administration of Own Mother's Milk (OMC) During the First Days of Life: Effects on Immune Function of Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) Infants." Nancy Rodriguez is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Coordinator for Lactation in the Infant Special Care Unit at Evanston Hospital.  Her areas of research interests include the immune factors in mother's milk and protection against infection for extremely low birth weight infants.

Lifetime Achievement in Neonatal Nursing Award Kara L Coker, MS RN received the Lifetime Achievement in Neonatal nursing Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the profession of neonatal nursing and to the mission of NANN through activities related to career progression for neonatal nurses (novice to expert) and establishment of the Advanced Competency in Developmental Care. Kara has provided many hours of her time and expertise to NANN activities. Her dedication and contributions have always been thoughtfully provided with attention to detail. She has been a leader, an active team player, and unselfish in contribution of her time and talents.  NANN is grateful to have such an inspired and inspiring nurse as a member.

Chapter of the Year The Delaware Valley Association of Neonatal Nurses is a progressive chapter that works diligently within its professional and community neighborhoods. The association represents 31 different institutions in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. They offer 4 educational conferences for the entire neonatal community and one for members only.  The chapter raises money for March of Dimes and promotes sponsorship to defer costs. They promote research, education, networking and community service through its website and exclusive List serve. They also encourage evidence based practice, researched practice and safe practices. Members are encouraged to "reach further" to touch lives.