AACN Announces CNL Visionary Leader and Vanguard Awards Tuesday, January 24, 2017 AACN and CNC Present CNL Visionary Leader and Vanguard Awards to Forerunners in the National Clinical Nurse Leader Movement 2017 CNL Summit and Research Symposium to be held February 22-24 in Atlanta, GA The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased to announce that Ms. Elizabeth Murphy, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Mercy Health Saint Mary's, is the recipient of the 2017 CNL Visionary Leader Award. The highest honor presented by AACN to practice leaders making significant contributions to advancing the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) initiative, this award will be presented at the 2017 CNL Summit in Atlanta, GA on February 22, 2017. The CNL Vanguard Award, which recognizes the innovative work of CNL-certified nurses and CNL nurse educators, will also be presented to Dr. Bonnie Haupt from South Texas VA Healthcare System and Dr. Tricia Thomas from Grand Valley State University. "AACN is pleased to recognize Ms. Elizabeth Murphy, Dr. Bonnie Haupt and Dr. Tricia Thomas for their contributions to transforming healthcare and nursing education by advancing the Clinical Nurse Leader role," said AACN President and CEO, Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN. "AACN applauds the revolutionary work of these three leaders to integrate the CNL into the healthcare system, ensuring that patients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery." The CNL is an emerging nursing role developed by AACN in collaboration with leaders from education and practice to improve the quality of patient care and better prepare nurses to thrive in today's healthcare system in any setting. These master's-prepared clinicians put evidence-based practice into action to ensure that patients benefit from the latest innovations in care delivery. The CNL evaluates patient outcomes, identifies risk, coordinates care, and implements quality improvement strategies. First presented in 2010, the CNL Visionary Leader Award recognizes the long-standing and substantial accomplishments of an individual to the development, promotion, and integration of the CNL role in U.S. health care. These noteworthy accomplishments are underscored by an unremitting commitment to the education and advancement of the CNL role and to efforts that have helped to maximize and sustain the impact of the role. The CNL Vanguard Award was introduced in 2012 by AACN and the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) – the autonomous agency charged with overseeing the CNL certification process – to recognize the innovative and outstanding professional performance of a certified CNL on the frontlines of improving health care. First presented in 2015, the CNL Educator Vanguard Award distinguishes an academic leader for innovative and exemplary efforts to prepare highly qualified CNLs. Meet the 2017 CNL Award Recipients CNL Visionary Award Elizabeth A. Murphy, BSN, MSBA, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE Ms. Murphy has over 30 years of nursing leadership experience. She currently serves as Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Mercy Health Saint Mary's and Mercy Health Physician Partners Grand Rapids. She has prior experi¬ence in health care consulting and in various leadership roles from Unit Based Clinical Manager to corporate leader for eight hospital sys¬tems in the areas of clinical improvement, accreditation, and safety. Ms. Murphy has a solid understand¬ing of statistical measurements and how to use data and information to improve outcomes. Mercy Health Saint Mary's was the first network in Michigan to implement the new master's prepared CNL role, which was created to focus on outcomes and system improvement at the microsystem or point of care. CNL Vanguard Award Bonnie Haupt, DNP, RN, CNL, CHSE Dr. Haupt holds her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Sacred Heart University. She is also a Certified Simulation Healthcare Educator and CNL. Dr. Haupt has worked most recently as the Patient Experience Officer, Acute Care CNL, and for the VA Nursing Academy and Fairfield University as an Assistant Professor. She is currently the CNL at South Texas VA Healthcare Systems (VAHCS), and has worked for the VHA for over 24 years. At South Texas VAHCS, she collaborates with interprofessional team members on quality, safety, and performance improvement processes. Her research interests include communication of interprofessional team members, utilization of evidenced based practice, and improving Veteran patient safety, satisfaction, and overall care outcomes. CNL Educator Vanguard Award Tricia Thomas, PhD, RN, FACHE, NEA-BC, ACNS-BC, CNL Dr. Thomas currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Practice at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Thomas earned her PhD from Walden University in 2006 and her MSN and BSN from the University of Michigan. She is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and is board certified in Healthcare Management, Advanced Nursing Administration, Adult Health, and as a CNL. Dr. Thomas' work with CNLs started in 2007, when she pioneered the development and implementation of the CNL role at University of Detroit Mercy in partnership with Trinity Health. She developed and implemented CNL curriculum, served as the CNL Program Coordinator and faculty advisor, and implemented a CNL cohort model across Michigan. In each role she has successfully demonstrated her commitment to leadership, advocacy, innovation, consultation, and mentorship, while transforming clinical care through workforce strategies that enhance professional practice. For the latest news and information about the national movement to the CNL, see www.aacnnursing.org/cnl. Categories: Policy & Advocacy, Press Release