APNA Annual Awards
The APNA Annual Awards recognize APNA members who demonstrate excellence in psychiatric-mental health nursing practice, education, research, leadership, innovation, community efforts, and more. Recipients are recognized at the APNA Annual Conference and in APNA communications throughout the year.
Get inspired by our 2024 APNA Annual Award Recipients.
Nominations are open!
APNA Psychiatric Nurse of the Year
The APNA Psychiatric Nurse of the Year Award recognizes an APNA member who demonstrates vision, perseverance, dedication, initiative and facilitation in the delivery of mental health services to individuals, families, and their communities.
APNA Award for Distinguished Service
The APNA Distinguished Service Award is intended as recognition for commitment, initiative, loyalty, integrity, and exceptional and meritorious service to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
APNA Award for Excellence in Education
This award recognizes an APNA member who has fostered the professional growth of psychiatric-mental health nurses through imparting knowledge, skill, and critical analysis to the field.
APNA Award for Innovation – Chapter
This award recognizes an APNA chapter that has creatively implemented a successful project/activity that has potential to further the goals and objectives of the association.
APNA Award for Innovation – Individual
This award recognizes an APNA member who has developed and/or demonstrated a new, fresh approach to care through innovation in psychiatric-mental health nursing practice.
APNA Award for Excellence in Leadership – APRN
This award honors an APNA advanced level member who has distinguished him/herself as an accomplished nursing leader.
APNA Award for Excellence in Leadership – RN
This APNA member must demonstrate unique leadership qualities through significant contributions to an organization, a community, the psychiatric-mental health nursing specialty, or the nursing profession.
APNA Award for Media
This award recognizes APNA members who have demonstrated excellence in producing media related to psychiatric-mental health nursing. One or more categories (book, video, etc.) may be awarded in a given year.
APNA Award for Excellence in Practice – APRN
This award recognizes an APNA APRN-PMH member who has made significant contributions to psychiatric-mental health nursing practice.
APNA Award for Excellence in Practice – RN
This award recognizes an APNA RN-PMH who provides or promotes exemplary psychiatric-mental health nursing practice to patients, families and populations.
APNA Award for Excellence in Research & Scholarship
This award is granted to an APNA member who has made a significant contribution to research in psychiatric nursing care, education, leadership/management and/or health services.