SCIN Awards Program

  • Staff Nurse Award for Excellence
    This award is given to an SCIN nursing member and role model in providing competent and compassionate nursing care to individuals with SCI.

Criteria

  • Member of ASCIP nursing section
  • Demonstrate outstanding clinical performance in SCI/D care, as evidenced by: Knowledge and expertise in SCI /D nursing practice and creativity in nursing care to individuals with SCI/D and supporting significant others.
  • Collaborate with health care professionals in providing optimal care.
  • Provide statement by nominator in the Nursing Section including: Position Description (Brief description of current job responsibilities and history of care for individuals with SCI/D)
  • Knowledge and Expertise in SCI/D nursing practice: Knowledge of advances and trends in SCI/D nursing practice and serves as a role model.
  • Creativity: Demonstration of creativity in providing nursing care to individuals with SCI and supporting significant others in daily nursing practice as demonstrated by teaching health maintenance techniques for reintegration into the community, using current nursing standards and clinical research findings, and exhibiting compassion and going beyond the call of duty.
  • Collaboration with health care professionals or team members to provide optimal care.

Staff Nurse Award Recipients
2023 Andrea Bolts, RN
2022 Julie Koeppe, RN
2021 Sharon Honore-Sellier, BSN, CRRN
2020 Mary Kruse, RN, BSN, MA, CWOCN, CWS
2019 Linda Kurtz BSN, RN, CRRN
2018 Matthew Kingsbury, BS, RN, CCRN
2017  William Caldwell, RN
2016  Mary Zales, RN
2015  Anna Mae Baniqued, RN, BSN, CRRN
2014  Anna Marie Bautista, RN
2013  Norma I. Smith, RN, AD
2012  Joanne Law, MSN, CNL, RN
2011  Michael Samogala, RN, CRRN
2010  Jane Jordan, RN, BSN
2007  Elma Padios RN
2006  Anne Lyons
2005  Rupert M. Smith, RN
2004  Kathleen E. Aubertin, LPN
2003  Paula A. Strangeland, RN, CCRN
2002  Karen Denise Smith, BSN, RN


Expanded Role for Excellence in Nursing
This award is given to a SCIN member who is a role model in an expanded nursing role.  The award was designed to represent the new millennium with a new focus on the expanded role of the professional nurse.  Examples include case manager, consultant, researcher, manager, administrator, clinical nurse specialist, educator and nurse practitioner.

Criteria

  • Member of ASCIP nursing section
  • Nominee must be an RN in an expanded role that contributes to SCI/D nursing practice.
  • Demonstrate outstanding clinical performance in SCI/D care, as evidenced by.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and expertise in SCI/D nursing practice.
  • Provide creativity in nursing care to individuals with SCI/D and professional support to others.
  • Collaborate with other health care professionals in providing optimal care to achieving excellence in the health care of persons with SCI/D.
  • Provide statement by nominator in the nursing section including:
  • Position Description: Brief description of current job responsibilities and history of care for SCI/D.
  • Knowledge and Expertise in SCI/D nursing practice: Knowledgeable of advances and trends in SCI/D nursing practice and demonstrates strong clinical, problem solving, and leadership skills
  • Creativity: Demonstrations of creativity in contributions to the nursing care for individuals with SCI/D and their significant others.
  • Collaboration with other health care professionals or team members to provide optimal care

Expanded Role for Excellence in Nursing Award Recipients
2023 Malorie Heinen
2022 Tami McMichael, RN
2021  Becky Thayer, MSN, RN, CRRN
2020  Diane Reinhard , DNP, MBA, MSCIS, RN
2019  Lisa Beck MS, APRN, CNS, CRRN
2018  Cissi Oloomi, MSN, APRN, CNS-BC, FNP, CNRN, CRRN
2017  Wendy Worden, APRN, CNS, MS, CCRN
2016  Linda Madaris, DNP, ARNP-C, CRRN, NEA-C
2015  Valerie Rodriguez-Yu, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CRRN, CMSRN
2014  Susan Pejoro, RN, MSN, GNP-BC
2013  Mary Susan Biggins, MBA, RN, CRRN
2012  Diedre Bricker, MSN, RN, CRRN
2010  Patricia Reisinger, RN, CRRN, FNP-BC
2007  Antonia Garrett
2006  Billie Anne Massie RN, C  BS
2004  Yolanda Gertsch-Lapcevic,   MN,
2003  Patricia A. Tuccitto, RN, CRRN
2002  Diane M. Hartwig, MS, RN, CS-ACNP, CRRN
2001  Nancy Lewis, MSN, RN, CRRN


The Audrey Nelson Lecture

Dr Audrey Nelson is a nationally recognized and highly respected nurse researcher known for her expertise and work in patient safety and nursing injuries research

Nelson’s relentless pursuit of a solution to the high rate of nursing injuries led to a $200 million nationwide three-year research program funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that was designed to radically change the way nurses handle patients. The emphasis was on shifting away from manual lifting and pulling to an ergonomics-based approach using mechanical technologies.

Her multi year research played an important role in nurse safety and has been the basis of numerous nationwide nurse safety and training initiatives including the American nurses association Handle with Care campaign and the Nurse and Health Care Worker Protection act. She was a consultant to the United Nations on human rights and bioethics in the development of Life and Health Sciences and was selected to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration national advisory committee on ergonomics.

In 2005, the Joint Commission recognized Nelson's work in "improving the quality of care delivered to people with disabilities," and praised her for "magnifying the scope of practice for patient safety and [being] a tireless advocate for those with disabilities”

Her research is published in the following books: 

Safe Patient Handling and Mobility: Interprofessional National Standard

Safe Patient Handling and Movement: A Practical Guide for Health Care Professionals

The Illustrated Guide to Safe Patient Handling and Movement (Nelson, The Illustrated Guide to Safe Patient Handling and Movement) 

Dr. Nelson was active in SCIN and served as its president in 1991-92. 

She received the Distinguished service award in 1988 and the Outstanding contribution to SCIN award in 1994.

Audrey was always willing to help other nurses in their research and careers.

In 2006 The initial nursing research lecture was delivered by Audrey Nelson and the lecture was named in her honor.  It is designed to recognize nurses who are working in nursing research. The lecture is awarded by SCIN when a nurse researcher meets the criteria, but is not necessarily awarded every year.  

Recent lectures have been presented by :

    • 2006 Audrey Nelson, PhD, RN, FAAN
    • 2016 Julie Gassaway, MS, RN
    • 2019 Angela Starkweather, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, CNRN, FAAN
    • 2020 Dr. Lana Sargent, PhD, RN, CRNP
    • 2021 Susan Newman, PhD, RN, CRRN
    • 2022 Linda Ehrlich-Jones, PhD, RN
    • 2023 Lisa Burkhart