CNA Order of Merit Awards

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CNA Order of Merit Awards

The CNA Order of Merit Awards were inaugurated in 2008. These awards honour excellence in five domains of practice: clinical nursing practice, nursing administration, nursing education, nursing research and nursing policy. The awards were created to honour nurses who – through hard work, leadership, innovation and knowledge – have had a significant and sustained impact on the nursing profession and the practice of nursing in Canada.

For additional information, contact CNA’s governance and corporate services coordinator.

Call for Nominations

Please read our criteria below before submitting your nomination.

General guidelines

In fairness to each nominee, we ask that every nominator follow these general guidelines:

  • Completed nominations must include supporting documents.
  • Each nominee will be assessed solely on the information in their nomination form. Please do not include phrases such as “see attached C.V.” when specific information is requested.
  • Each nominee must meet certain eligibility requirements.
  • You can only nominate a person in one of the five nursing domains.
  • This award may be given posthumously.

Demographic information

You will be asked to provide both your and the nominee’s name, employer information, position, full address, telephone number and CNA membership details.

Eligibility requirements

The following mandatory eligibility requirements apply (not applicable for nominees who are deceased):

  • The nominee is a nurse in good standing with their provincial/territorial regulatory body. Confirmation letter or e-mail required.
  • The nominee has not previously received an award for another domain or for the Jeanne Mance Award. The award may also be made posthumously.
  • The nominee has paid the CNA membership fees either through their jurisdiction or the independent or emeritus nurses group.
  • The nominee has consented to the nomination.
  • The nominee has been informed that his or her name will be made public if they receive an award.
  • The nominee is a Canadian resident.

Summary of experience and major accomplishments

You will be asked to provide descriptions of the nominee’s work experience and other major accomplishments (volunteer activities, awards, etc.). Each of these can be a maximum of 150 words.

Summary of specific accomplishments

You must provide three 300-word (maximum) summaries of the nominee’s specific accomplishments related to the Order of Merit awards.

The first summary will show how the nominee has made a significant and innovative contribution to the health care of Canadians by

  • creating or assisting in the organization and implementation of new health care/education/research programs; and
  • demonstrating expertise that results in a marked improvement in the health-care delivery system.

The second summary will show the nominee’s activities at the national and international level that have resulted in increased status and public recognition for the nursing profession as a whole. These activities may be evidenced by

  • outstanding contributions to national organizations such as CNA and organizations related to the nominee’s primary domain of practice;
  • leadership and service within CNA or organizations related to the nominee’s primary domain of practice;
  • demonstrated leadership in the advancement/promotion of nursing in the public or private sector; and
  • advancement of nursing theory/research in the primary domain of practice.

The third summary will be specific to each of the five Order of Merit awards:

Your description should focus on specific achievements in clinical nursing practice, including those that highlight the nominee’s:

  • in-depth clinical knowledge
  • outstanding ability to deliver holistic care
  • evidence-based innovation in care delivery
  • efforts to foster a culture that promotes quality care
  • efforts to share his/her expertise and knowledge of best practices in clinical nursing practice with colleagues across the country through presentations, publications and participation on committees

Your description should focus on specific achievements in nursing education, including those that highlight the nominee’s:

  • creativity, innovation and flexibility in motivating learners
  • leadership in promoting excellence in nursing education within academic and practice settings
  • ability to identify emerging health-care trends and initiate changes in programs and curriculum
  • commitment to improving quality of health care through nursing education
  • efforts to share his/her expertise and knowledge of best practices in nursing education with colleagues across the country through presentations, publications and participation on committees

Your description should focus on specific achievements in nursing education, including those that highlight the nominee’s:

  • work to promote workplace cultures in which nurses and other health-care providers are positive, challenged and involved
  • work to promote incorporation of new nursing knowledge and use research findings in health-care settings;
  • efforts to improve health-care delivery through evidence-based changes that improve effectiveness and efficiency
  • advocacy for nurses and nursing in health-care settings
  • efforts to share his/her expertise and knowledge of best practices in nursing administration with colleagues across the country through presentations, publications and participation on committees

Your description should focus on specific achievements in nursing education, including those that highlight the nominee’s:

  • sustained activity to advance development of clinically relevant nursing knowledge, nursing education, nursing administration and policy
  • promoting nursing research and the application of research findings in practice settings
  • obtaining research funding from a variety of sources including national health-care research funding agencies
  • efforts to share his/her expertise and knowledge of best practices in nursing research with colleagues across the country through presentations, publications and participation on committees

Your description should focus on specific achievements in nursing education, including those that highlight the nominee’s:

  • ability to identify emerging issues and provide leadership to influence the quality of health care for Canadians through evidence-based policymaking, including regulation of the profession
  • advocacy work for nurses and nursing focused on governments, other health-care professionals and the public
  • practice of developing clear understanding of issues by consulting widely with those who will be affected by policy decisions and fostering partnerships between stakeholder groups
  • efforts to share his/her expertise and knowledge of best practices in nursing policy with colleagues across the country through presentations, publications and participation on committees

Supporting documents

Please note that you must upload the following supporting documents with your nomination:

  • confirmation letter or e-mail from provincial/territorial regulator
  • a minimum of three separate letters from individuals from three different organizations in support of the nomination. These can include one letter from the nominator.
  • the nominee’s curriculum vitae
  • a biographical note no longer than 500 words

Privacy Policy: Personal information that is collected will be used only for processing nominations and related followup.