Awards/Nominations

ISPN Awards

The ISPN Awards provide an opportunity for the association to formally recognize some of the many outstanding contributions of psychiatric-mental health nurses throughout the world.

The Awards are (as approved by the ISPN Board, November 2015):

Jeanette Chamberlain Psychiatric Leadership Award
ISPN Clinical Practice Award
ISPN Diversity and Equity Award
ISPN Education Award
ISPN Research Award
Melva Jo Hendrix Lectureship Award
Living Legends Award
ISPN Psychiatric Mental Health Advocacy Award

For Descriptions of the Awards listed above, click here (PDF format)

Click here to view the recipients of past awards

ISPN Awards Nomination Process

Nominator's Role
Prepare and submit (e-mail or hard copy) a complete nomination packet that includes:

Your official nomination letter describing the ways the nominee meets qualifications for the specific award. Comment on the impact of the individual's contributions on the population served and/or the discipline of mental health nursing - and any special contributions the nominee has made to ISPN. Please discern that the nominee is an active ISPN member at the time of nomination (except for Living Legend and Psychiatric Mental Health Advocacy awards - see specific criteria for these awards).
At least one additional letter of endorsement/support - which should cover similar considerations or elaborate on one or more primary achievements.
Relevant portions of the nominee's curriculum vitae - a maximum of 10-12 pages. Include education, credentials, and employment history - plus selected pages that document accomplishments that directly support the award - but in all cases, not more than 12 pages.
E-mail address and phone numbers for both nominee and nominator.
Optional: Additional support for the nomination (e.g., letter from a grateful parent, local newspaper article, etc.).
Please notify Rhonda Schwindt, Awards Committee Chair, at [email protected], that you are submitting a nomination. This allows the awards committee to track nominations and assure that none gets lost.

An individual should be nominated for only one award.
Recipients of each award for past years are listed here. Please do not re-nominate an individual for the same award.
No self-nominations accepted.
All nominees must be members of ISPN at the time of nomination (except for the Psychiatric Mental Health Advocacy Award and Living Legend Award).
Nominators do not need to be ISPN members.

A nominee can be informed of the nomination, or the nomination can be a surprise.

Please submit the nomination packet ( on or before March 5, 2018) using one of the following methods:
> email to: [email protected] with “ISPN Awards” in subject line
> mail to: ISPN, Attention: Awards, 2424 American Lane, Madison, WI 53704

Award recipients and nominators will be notified of the results prior to the annual conference. Winners will be recognized at the 2018 ISPN Annual Conference in Tempe, AZ.

Awards Committee's Process
Winners are selected by considering the nominee's contributions and impact on individuals, systems, or populations using the criteria of the particular award. To a lesser degree, general contributions the individual has made to the profession -- including ISPN - are considered. While many award recipients are seasoned achievers, early career members who are making solid contributions have received awards in recent years.

Questions? Welcome at any point . . . Rhonda Schwindt, Awards Committee, at [email protected].

2017 Award Recipients

2017 ISPN Award Recipient

Dr. Ukamaka Oruche, Awards Committee Chair;
Jeanette Chamberlain Psychiatric Leadership Award
(recipient) Carla J. Groh:
ISPN President Edilma Yearwood

ISPN Clinical Practice Award
Andrea Kwasky

2017 ISPN Award Recipient

ISPN Diversity and Equity Award
Kathy Wright

ISPN Education Award
Mark D. Soucy

2017 ISPN Award Recipient

ISPN Research Award
Jill E. Bormann

Living Legend Award
Diane Elizabeth Morrison Snow

2017 Melva Jo Hendrix Lectureship Award
Evelyn Parrish

Susan Krupnick and Karen Ragaisis present
2017 McCabe Lectureship to
Victoria Soltis-Jarrett

ISPN President, Dr. Edilma Yearwood presents
ISPN President's Award to
Peggy Plunkett

ISPN Foundation President Linda Skalsky presents
ISPN Foundation Mental Health & Wellness Research Grant to
Allison McCord

Dr. Joyce Fitzpatrick presents
ISPN Foundation Joyce Fitzpatrick Psychiatric
Nursing Research Award to
Sara Jones

Poster Awards

2017 ISPN Poster Award Recipient

Research Poster, 2nd Place
Ayumi Kohno
(No photo available)

Research Poster, 1st Place
Judith Jarosinski

2017 Poster Award Accepted on Behalf of Achterbosch

Evidence-Based Practice: 2nd Place
Khadejah Fahmi Mustafa Mahmoud
(No photo available)

Evidence-Based Practice: 1st Place
Breanna Achterbosch
(photo - accepted on behalf of Breanna)

Education/Teaching Pedagogy: 1st Place
Caroline McKinnon

Education/Teaching Pedagogy: 2nd Place
Erin Ellington

Student: 2nd Place
Katherine Coury
(No photo available)

Student: 1st Place
Brittany Yates

Quick Links

What's New

Ukamaka Oruche, PhD, RN, FAAN, an ISPN Board member, received two appointments:
DHHS CMS Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC) for a 2-year term beginning June 1, 2018. The MEDCAC advises the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on whether specific medical items and services are reasonable and necessary under Medicare law. They perform this task via a careful review and discussion of specific clinical and scientific issues in an open and public forum.
Gubernatorial appointment to Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services Commission (IPAS) for 3-year term. The Indiana Protection and Advocacy Services (IPAS) Commission is the governing authority of Indiana Disability Rights. The Commission is responsible for assuring adequate legal and advocacy services for the protection, promotion and empowerment of the rights and interests of individuals with disabilities throughout Indiana. The Commission provides direction and advice on Indiana Disability Rights' activities, goals, and policies. https://www.in.gov/idr/2434.htm

ISPN joined the Nursing Community Coalition in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security Secretary expressing severe distress over the Administration’s current policy of separating children from their parents at our nation’s borders. The letter implores “the Department of Homeland Security, and the overall Administration, to protect the health and wellness of immigrant children. Read the letter here.

ISPN supports inclusion of Section 303, Allowing for More Flexibility with Respect to Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders, in HR 6. Read the letter here.

Funding Opportunity available with a July 9, 2018, deadline: Medication Assisted Treatment: Prescription Drug & Opioid Addiction, from The Department of Health & Human Services and Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Click for more information.

Do you provide, supervise, or research psychotherapy? Provide feedback in a Needs Assessment survey here.

ISPN was one of 24 organizations noted in the UK Health Faculties’ Global Engagement report. The report highlights faculties’ international achievements in nursing, midwifery, and allied health education, and the impact they are having in the UK and partnering countries. Read the full report here.

Reminder to subscribe to the new ISPN Listserv, "E-List": Make sure you are logged in as this is a member benefit, and then click here to read more.

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