2009 Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse of the Year Award sponsored by Novartis Oncology

The AOCN^®, AOCNP^®, AOCNS^® of the Year Award recognizes outstanding achievements of an AOCN^®, AOCNP^®, AOCNS^® who has made significant contributions to advanced oncology nursing practice; and oncology service; and who has supported and promoted oncology nursing certification.

The AOCN^®, AOCNP^®, AOCNS^® of the Year will receive $1,000 and be presented with a crystal award at the Recognition Breakfast for Oncology Certified Nurses at the 2009 ONS Annual Congress.

Award Criteria
Nominees must demonstrate leadership and accomplishments in the promotion of oncology nursing certification; and oncology nursing service; as well as two of the following areas of advanced oncology nursing practice: clinical practice, education, administration/case management, consultation, or research.

Promotion of Oncology Nursing Certification

• Actively promotes oncology nursing certification among nursing colleagues, other healthcare professionals, and healthcare consumers.

Service

• Enhances the image of oncology nursing among the general public.
• Participates in community affairs, legislative activities, or in organizations that affect nursing.
• Enhances the image of oncology nursing among healthcare professionals.
• Participates in community education.

Advanced Oncology Nursing Practice
Candidate must demonstrate accomplishments in two of the following areas (nominee, nominator, and recommendations must all address the same two areas):

Clinical Practice

• Demonstrates leadership in the provision of quality advanced oncology patient care.
• Provides and/or directs comprehensive oncology care across the continuum of care.
• Designs and implements innovative approaches to the management of symptoms or responses to care.

Education

• Participates in the education of patients, families, and community members.
• Plans, develops, and presents formal and informal oncology-related educational activities for nurses, student nurses, and/or members of other disciplines.
• Generates oncology educational materials suitable for use by professionals or laypersons.

Administration/Case Management

• Creates an environment which facilitates psychosocial, developmental, and professional growth of oncology staff.
• Applies innovative strategies in the management of nursing staff and patient/family programs, and in the utilization of resources.
• Evaluates outcome data to coordinate oncology care effectively and efficiently.
• Consultation Serves as an internal (staff) and external (community) oncology consultant.
• Articulates the role of the advanced practice oncology nurse across health care settings.
• Demonstrates oncology nursing expertise in the consultative role by serving as a model/mentor.

Research

• Actively participates in various phases of the research process to improve oncology patient care, i.e., investigator, reviewer, data collector.
• Serves as the principal investigator or co-investigator in nursing or multidisciplinary oncology research.
• Disseminates research findings through presentations and publications.

Eligibility Criteria

• All award nominees must be current AOCN^®, AOCNP^®, AOCNS^® at the time application and award presentation
• All award nominees must be currently licensed as RNs (or possess equivalent foreign credentials).
• Members of the ONCC Recognition Subcommittee and the ONCC Board of Directors are not eligible to be nominees, to nominate individuals, or to provide recommendations for nominees.

Nomination Instructions – Please use the Quick Links at right to download the nomination forms

• Each nominee must submit the following materials:
• A completed Nomination Form;
• Two Recommendation Forms (must use forms provided);
• A Biographical Sketch Form (must use form provided);
• A signed Release Form.
• All materials must be submitted together.
• All materials must be typed. If Download the application forms in Windows Microsoft^® Word format. Simply fill out each form in Microsoft^® Word, print them out, and mail them in.
• All forms must include a signature
• Completed nomination packets must be received no later than December 1, 2008.
• Use only the official ONCC application forms for nominee submission.
• Only two recommendations will be accepted. Additional recommendations will not be considered.
• The nominator may not submit a Recommendation Form. Recommendations made by the nominator will not be considered.
• Incomplete or late nominations will not be considered.
• Additional materials or supporting documentation will not be considered.
• All decisions of the ONCC Recognition Subcommittee and ONCC Board of Directors are final.
• Award recipients must agree to be recognized in ONCC Certification News and/ or other publications approved by ONCC.