National Nursing Awards

VA nurses have been widely recognized for their instrumental work in initiating, developing, implementing, and monitoring the practices and policies that has made VA one of the world’s foremost authorities in patient safety and quality outcomes, evidenced by performance measures – an exceptional achievement by any assessment.

                                                        Nursing Innovation Awards                                                         

The Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Nursing Innovation Awards program, a national award mechanism created and launched in 2003, annually recognizes nursing leadership in quality improvement. VA Nursing staff are known to be dynamic change agents, influencing practice and system-wide initiatives.

Each year, the Innovation Awards program recognizes ten hospital programs and/or initiatives, and each winning team receives a $10,000 group award. ONS strives to identify new and innovative ideas that are best practices recognized as nurse-led, quality improvement initiatives across VHA.

 2012 Award Winners  (large file):  Prospective Risk Management: Creating and Sustaining the High Reliability Organization

 2011 Award Winners  (large file):  Achieving Patient Driven Care Through Highly Functioning Teams

 2010 Award Winners  (large file):  Strategies For Implementing And Sustaining The Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) Role

 2009 Award Winners:   Improving Services for Special Populations

 2008 Award Winners:  Professional Practice Environment for Nursing Excellence

 2007 Award Winners:  Evidence-Based Nursing Practice

 2006 Award Winners:  Advanced Clinic Access: Redesign for Improved Patient Outcomes and/or Healthcare Delivery Processes Beyond Primary Care

 2005 Award Winners:  Best Practice Innovation

 
      Secretary of VA's Awards for Excellence in Nursing & for Advancement in Nursing Programs        

The VA Secretary's Awards in Nursing Excellence program, established in 1984, annually honors one Medical Center Diredtor, Nurse Executive (NE), Registered Nurse (RN) in a staff nurse role and one in a non-staff nurse role, i.e. advanced practice nurse, nurse manager, instructor, etc., a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), and a Nursing Assistant (NA) actively engaged in the care of patients at a VA Medical Center (VAMC). The recipients' contributions to the care of patients in any VA health care setting are patient-driven and demonstrate such excellence as to merit recognition from peers. This award is given only once to an individual.

The Secretary's Awards consists of three major areas: Excellence in Nursing, Advancement of Nursing Programs by a Medical Center or Health Care System Director, and Advancement of Nursing Programs by a Medical Center or Health Care System Nurse Executive. The award categories for Medical Center or Health Care System Director and Medical Center or Health Care System Nurse Executive were added in 1993 and 2003, respectively. The Health Care Technician (HCT) was included in the Nursing Assistant award category in 2006.

Secretary's Award Directive  (Updated November, 2006)
 2012 Award Winners 
 2011 Award Winners 
 2010 Award Winners 
 2009 Award Winners 
 2008 Award Winners 
 2007 Award Winners 
 2006 Award Winners 

                                                  Let's Get Certified! Campaign Awards                                                

ONS created a national award to recognize nursing leadership in supporting nurses obtaining specialty certification. Its purpose is to serve as a catalyst for new and creative ideas initiated and led by VA Nursing staff to develop a comprehensive program to promote, support, reward and recognize specialty nursing certification. See award details and previous year winners. Entries submitted by VA facilities were of two award types for which prizes were given.  See more information about previous award winners.