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On this page: Award categories | 2022 winners | Previous year's winners
The RNAO Recognition Awards are presented annually to recognize individuals and groups that make significant contributions to RNAO's mandate of speaking out for nursing and speaking out for health. To honour these individuals and groups, consider nominating a colleague, yourself or your organization for one of RNAO's prestigious Recognition Awards.
Status: Closed
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| Leadership | Leadership in BPG Implementation Lifetime Achievement
Leadership in BPG Implementation Award
This is awarded to the registered nurse (RN), nurse practitioner (NP), or Ontario-based health-care organization that promotes excellence in nursing practice and nursing work-life balance.
The recipient of this award works to enhance the image of nursing through the committed use and advancement of RNAO’s best practice guidelines (BPG) in the workplace. Nursing Administration Nursing Administration
The RNAO Leadership Award in Nursing Administration is offered to the RN or NP who provides exemplary nursing management by acting as a change agent, resource and mentor within their professional setting. This individual actively collaborates with health-care teams to enhance patient care through the development and implementation of innovative and creative strategies.
Nursing Education (Academic) Nursing Education
The RNAO Leadership Award in Nursing Education Academic is awarded to the RN or NP who practises excellence as a nursing educator in a college or university setting.
This individual enhances the image of nursing by encouraging critical thinking, innovation and debate about important nursing issues and acts as a role model and mentor in their work environment. Nursing Research Nursing Research
The RNAO Leadership Award in Nursing Research is awarded to the RN or NP who actively explores innovative ideas in nursing research. This individual enhances the image of nursing by engaging in efforts to disseminate research knowledge, and is in dialogue with RNs, NPs and nursing students to identify nursing research needs. The member has a proven ability to attract research funding and actively participates in the activities of professional organizations.
Political Action Political Action
The RNAO Leadership Award in Political Action is awarded to an RN or NP who acts as a change agent, resource and mentor through political action. This individual is actively involved in discussions with MPPs/MPs, other decision-makers and media that benefit the health of individuals, or communitie
President’s Award in Clinical Nursing Practice President’s Award for Leadership in Clinical Nursing Practice
The RNAO President’s Award for Leadership in Clinical Nursing Practice is awarded to the RN or NP who consistently demonstrates expertise and evidence-informed practice in one or more areas of clinical practice in a staff nurse position. This member enhances the role of nursing by demonstrating nursing leadership in their workplace and influencing change for the betterment of patients, families and/or communities.
The winner(s) of this award will receive a $2,000 scholarship or $2,000 towards attending the next Canadian Nurses Association or International Council of Nurses conference. Funding for this award is generously provided by HUB International Ontario Limited, RNAO’s group home and auto insurance provider. |
| Education/mentorship | Nursing Education (Staff Development)
Leadership Award in Nursing Education - Staff Development
The RNAO Leadership Award in Nursing Education Staff Development is awarded to an RN or NP that practises excellence as a nurse educator in a health-care setting. This individual enhances the role of nursing by encouraging critical thinking, innovation and debate about important nursing issues and acts as a role model and mentor in their work environment.
Student Mentorship Leadership Award in Student Mentorship
The RNAO Leadership Award in Student Mentorship is awarded to the RN or NP who demonstrates outstanding practice as a nurse educator, mentor or preceptor in health care. This individual enhances the role of the RN and/or NP by encouraging critical thinking, evidence-informed practice and initiates discussion about important nursing issues that encourage action and change. This individual is resourceful, adapting teaching to maximize learning opportunities that will contribute to student engagement and action. The nursing program supporting the nominee promotes RNAO initiatives and activities, as well as membership.
Award of Merit Award of Merit
The RNAO Award of Merit is awarded to an RN or NP who has made outstanding contributions to RNAO and the nursing profession in Ontario. This resourceful individual is a change-maker, advocating for, promoting and initiating changes to improve healthy public policy through RNAO initiatives. This person serves as a resource and mentor contributing to and enhancing the role of the RN/NP in Ontario.
HUB Fellowship (an opportunity to shadow RNAO's CEO Doris Grinspun) HUB Fellowship
The RNAO HUB Fellowship provides an RN or NP with the opportunity to get in the thick of things with a one-week placement with RNAO’s CEO. The $2,000 HUB fellowship is generously sponsored by RNAO’s group home and auto insurance provider, HUB International Ontario Limited.
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Group |
Chapter of the Year
Chapter of the Year
The RNAO Chapter of the Year award is awarded to the RNAO chapter or region without chapters (RWC) that best exemplifies a commitment to RNAO through active promotion, participation and initiation of projects that promote healthy public policy and the role of the RN, NP and nursing students in their region. The chapter or RWC uses a variety of media and communication tools to effectively engage with their region; influence decision-makers and mobilize RN/NPs for action. The chapter or RWC demonstrates strong leadership in their nursing and health-care community. Their activities reflect RNAO’s ENDs.
Interest Group of the Year Interest Group of the Year
The RNAO Interest Group of the Year best demonstrates commitment to the nursing profession and active participation in the association’s initiatives. The interest group effectively communicates through a variety of means, which influences decision-makers and mobilizes RNs and NPs for action. This interest group exhibits exemplary teamwork and strong leadership within the nursing and health-care community.
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Student Undergrad |
Student of Distinction
Student of Distinction
The RNAO Student of Distinction Award recognizes a current undergraduate nursing student who has made significant contributions acting as a change agent, resource, and mentor within her/his undergraduate nursing program. This individual must show active involvement in RNAO Region/Chapters/Interest Groups.
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Member of the Public |
Friend of Nursing
Honoured Friend of Nursing Award
The Honoured Friend of Nursing Award is awarded to an individual who is not a nurse who has made outstanding contributions to the nursing profession. The individual will have demonstrated outstanding leadership and collaboration within the nursing community at the provincial level.
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Award Nomination and Eligibility
- Both the nominator and nominee must be RNAO members in good standing at the time of submission, and must have held RNAO membership for at least the last two membership years. With the exception of the Honoured Friend of Nursing Award where only the nominator is required to be a RNAO member.
- Members of the RNAO board of directors, as well as anyone living with board members, are not eligible to be nominated.
- RNAO employees, as well as anyone living with RNAO employees, are not eligible to be nominated or to nominate others.
What past winners say
"Finding a voice has to do with patient advocacy...standing up for what's right for the patient."
Leadership Award in Nursing Education
"I feel like I've grown up with RNAO. It is an awesome responsibility to teach others about what this grand profession is about."
Award of Merit
"I think the primary goal of implementing a Best Practice Guideline is to really influence practice change and improve client outcomes."
Leadership Award in BPG Implementation
Education/Mentorship
Award of Merit
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Shelly Philip LaForest
Executive director and founder, Ontario Black Nurses’ Network
Executive director and founder, Ontario Black Nurses’ Network
Shelly Philip LaForest has been a registered nurse for 23 years and a long-standing RNAO member. She has maintained a commitment to life-long learning, and is currently working on a PhD degree in Interdisciplinary Social Research at Trent University in Peterborough. As a bedside nurse, Shelly has worked on various surgical in-patient units and has an extensive background in education, pediatrics and leadership.
HUB Fellowship
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Amanda Ottley
The Pamoja Institute for Community Engagement and Action
The Pamoja Institute for Community Engagement and Action
Amanda Ottley founded The Pamoja Institute for Community Engagement and Action in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was tightening its deadly grip on Black communities.
Leadership Award in Student Mentorship
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Angela Cooper-Brathwaite
RN, BN, MN, PhD
Past-President, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)
RN, BN, MN, PhD
Past-President, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)
Dr. Angela Cooper Brathwaite is an associate graduate faculty member at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa. As a mentor, she coaches, role models, fosters student engagement and stimulates students’ cognitive abilities by questioning and challenging them to excel to their full potential. Angela is also the co-chair of RNAO’s Black Nurses Task Force (BNTF).
Group
Chapter of the Year
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Middlesex-Elgin Chapter
Members of the Middlesex Elgin Chapter executive – including Janet Hunt, Lauren Rogers, Chantal Singh, Nicole Forster and Marie Davis – are very honoured and excited to accept this Chapter of the Year Award in recognition of the work done within the chapter over the
Interest Group of the Year
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Nursing Research Interest Group
The Nursing Research Interest Group (NRIG) became an RNAO interest group in 1986.
Leadership
Leadership Award in BPG Implementation
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Hôpital Montfort
Hôpital Montfort is Ontario’s Francophone academic hospital, offering exemplary person-centred care. Affiliated with the University of Ottawa, the hospital serves more than 1.2 million people in eastern Ontario, in both official languages. The daily actions of the Hôpital Montfort team are guided
Leadership Award in Nursing Administration
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Jennifer Yoon
Humber River Hospital
Humber River Hospital
Jennifer Yoon obtained her nursing degree from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in 2008. She completed her Masters of Sciences in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety from the University of Toronto in 2014. Jennifer began her PhD studies at Queen’s University in the fall of 2021.
Leadership Award in Nursing Education (Academic)
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Dr. Victoria Smye
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University
Dr. Victoria Smye, RN, PhD, FCAN, is an associate professor and director of the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at London’s Western University (2017-present).
Leadership Award in Nursing Research
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Dr. Charlene Chu
Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto
Dr. Charlene Chu is an assistant professor at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto (2019), and an affiliate scientist at KITE Toronto Rehab at the University Health Network.
Leadership Award in Political Action
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Ameek Singh
Policy and political action ENO, Peel Chapter
Policy and political action ENO, Peel Chapter
Ameek Singh is an RN working for Peel Public Health and also for Unity Health in Toronto. He works with various non-profit organizations to address concerns of health-care access and primary care provision for the homeless populations of Peel. Ameek is a firm believer in culturally competent care. He feels that a person is more than just a diagnosis.
Lifetime Achievement
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Dr. Angela Cooper-Brathwaite
RN, BN, MN, PhD
Past-President, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)
RN, BN, MN, PhD
Past-President, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO)
Dr. Angela Cooper Brathwaite is an associate graduate faculty member at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa. She is also the co-chair of RNAO’s Black Nurses Task Force (BNTF). In these positions, she is a leader, policy advocate, researcher and teacher. Her research is focused on preventing Type 2 diabetes among minority groups.
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Hilda Swirsky
Hilda Swirsky began her career with a diploma in nursing from York Regional School of Nursing. Enthralled with life-long learning, she went on to receive her baccalaureate degree from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) and her Masters of Education from the University of Toronto. Hilda is a respected role-model and mentor, unwaverin
Student (Undergrad)
Student of Distinction
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Carleigh Higgins
Queen's University
Queen's University
Carleigh Higgins is a nursing student at Queen’s University in Kingston. She is entering her fourth year of study.
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