2021 Awards Announcement
Five prestigious awards for nurse leaders and advocates in California.
President's Award - ANA\California San Diego Taskforce
The ANA\California President Award 2021 is being awarded to the ANA\California San Diego Region Task Force for your exemplary leadership and unrelenting advocacy in ethics, access to care, human rights, racism and social justice during the 2020 protests and demonstration in the San Diego area. Your Task Force did exemplary work in the areas of policy, advocacy, and practice. Your ongoing focus on ethics, racism, and human rights violations in San Diego communities highlighted the ingrained system of systematic racism and inequality and served as a catalyst for change in public policy.
Based on your advocacy, ANA\California drafted an immediate public statement condemning the use of force on nurses providing first-aid care to injured protesters, submitted a letter to the SD Chief of Police, and published a sample letter that nurses in other communities used in their communications with police departments. Moreover, your advocacy efforts brought media focus, your stories were described in published articles and shared in TV interviews.
This Task Force shall serve as a role model -or as a prime example- for nursing advocacy in action, increasing nursing presence in communities, and strengthening nursing voices outside of academic settings and clinical facilities. The ANA\California San Diego Region Task Force truly embodies everything the ANA Code of Ethics -and ANA\California- stand for. We could not be prouder of our members.
Congratulations!!!!
Public Policy Award - ANA\California's Racism in Nursing and Healthcare Workgroup
ANA\California is proud to award the 2021 Public Policy Award to the ANA\California Racism in Healthcare Work Group! Your work has been nothing short of outstanding and absolutely stellar. Your approach to changing deeply ingrained policies of racism in healthcare institutions by creating a user-friendly toolkit aimed at both; the 1) staff nurse level, and the 2) nurse manager level created a groundbreaking and innovative approach to a sustainable policy change!
The toolkit that will be published during Nurses Week 2021 will be shared with other professional state and national nursing /healthcare associations, federal & state regulatory agencies, accreditation agencies, healthcare systems, coalition partners, education institutions, and with other interested stakeholders.
This important work stemmed from ANA\California advocacy efforts in the wake of the George Floyd murder and the nationwide protests & demonstrations that ensued, and as a consequence of our Racism in Healthcare panel discussions held in early June 2020. This fundamental work is currently in its ‘pilot project phase’ and is already gathering an enormous amount of attention in the media, state and national healthcare systems, ambulatory clinics, in national organizations and regulatory bodies.
The existing and newly established lines of communication with media, such as nurse.org, the Working Nurse Magazine, and other media outlets, in addition to the National Racism in Nursing Commission that was established by ANA in February 2021 - all position ANA\California as the true leader in meaningful and sustainable policy change and as a disruptive force in the existing nursing landscape.
Due to your time, dedication, enthusiasm, and expertise, ANA\California is way ahead of the curb on this fundamental work and thus celebrates the exemplary work this workgroup has achieved since July 2020! We are so extremely proud of you, this workgroup, and of your determination to eradicate racism in healthcare. Your work is -and will continue to be- a cornerstone of ANA\California’s policy work that will lead to a stronger and more influential ANA\California. This is your moment, this is your award!
Congratulations!!!!
Florence Nightingale Award - HealthImpact
The 2021 ANA\C Florence Nightingale Award is being awarded to HealthImpact for its exemplary leadership and groundbreaking work in bringing the majority of professional nursing organizations alongside a list of healthcare systems under its umbrella at the start of COVID19 in early April 2020 in order to coordinate nursing response during the 2020 COVID19 pandemic in nursing education and practice.
HealthImpact created several workgroups, connected important stakeholders and key decision-makers, established priorities for both, the nursing education and the nursing practice sides, coordinated among all parties, worked with Governor’s Office, CACN, COADN, CHA, and BRN to name just a few.
In preparation for increased nursing demand during California’s response to the covid pandemic, HealthImpact led work on developing checklists for academic and clinical settings for onboarding of nursing students and/or retired nurses, spearheaded academic, practice, & accreditation workgroups, established categories & created a list of education requirements and competencies for nursing students asked to help in hospitals or at alternate sites, and created onboarding for nurses away from the bedside willing to help or volunteer in hospitals/clinics during the pandemics.
ANA\C was proud to co-chair the Practice Work Group so we know the amount of work, dedication, time, and expertise that went into the efforts of that one group. HealthImpact had three other important workgroups, and all made their recommendations, checklists, steps to implement and messages to communicate.
It is our great pleasure to awards the 2021 ANA\California Florence Nightingale Award to HealthImpact!
Congratulations!!!!!
Elizabeth “Betty” Curtis Award - California Association for Nurse Practitioners and California Nurse Midwives Association
The Elizabeth “Betty” Curtis Award recognizes a registered nurse who is an advocate on behalf of nursing and health care in the legislature, regulatory boards, or other public policy arenas.
It is our absolute pleasure to announce that the 2021 Betty Curtis Award is being awarded -jointly- to the California Association for Nurse Practitioners and to the California Nurse Midwives Association for their outstanding advocacy efforts in the California Legislature.
ANA\C celebrates the legislative achievement of the California Association for Nurse Practitioners for your tremendous work advancing the scope of practice of California nurse practitioners. The success of AB 890 that was signed into law by Governor Newsom is a testament to the tireless education, public outreach, coalition-building, and grassroots & legislative advocacy of the California Association for Nurse Practitioners!
The journey to remove outdated California regulations and red tape for nurse Practitioners was fueled by your efforts to increase access to care for countless Californians, especially for those residing in rural areas. This journey has been long and difficult. However, when nurses speak legislators and policy-makers listen and they finally did!
While we are aware that AB 890 was just the first step in assuring full practice authority for nurse practitioners in California, we recognize the dedication, expertise, the amount of time and resources that the California Association for Nurse Practitioners utilized to achieve this important step. We could not be prouder of the excellent work of the California Association for Nurse Practitioners -our coalition partner- and we look forward to our continued cooperation in advancing the profession of nursing.
ANA\C celebrates the legislative achievement of the California Nurse Midwives Association for your tremendous work advancing the scope of practice of California nurse midwives. The success of SB 1237 that was signed into law by Governor Newsom is a testament to the tireless education, public outreach, coalition-building, and grassroots & legislative advocacy of the California Nurse Midwives Association!
The journey to remove outdated California regulations and red tape for nurse midwives was fueled by your efforts to increase access to care for countless Californians, especially for those residing in rural areas. This journey has been long and difficult. However, when nurses speak - legislators and policymakers listen, and they finally did!
SB 1237 was an important step in assuring full practice authority for nurse midwives in California, we recognize the dedication, expertise, the amount of time and resources that the California Nurse Midwives Association utilized to achieve this important step. We could not be prouder of the excellent work of the California Nurse Midwives Association -our coalition partner- and we look forward to our continued cooperation in advancing the profession of nursing.
Congratulations!!!
Joanne Powell Award - Melissa Sablik
ANA\California Joanne Powell Award is presented to an emerging nurse leader who has been in practice as a professional nurse for less than 5 years.
ANA\California is proud to present the Joanne Powell Award to Melissa Sablik. Your dedication to nursing is a clear example of your determination to advance the profession, serve your community, and increase nursing voices inside and outside of clinical or academic settings.
We celebrate not only your professional accomplishment in your work at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital but also your dedication to community service and leadership. Your volunteering efforts during the Napa fire response, your volunteering activities during health screenings and the recent vaccination clinics, and your participation in a mentorship program are only a few highlights of your exemplary nursing practice.
We are very proud of all your achievements and wish you a continuous successful nursing journey.
Congratulations!!!!