Excellence in Clinical Practice Award

• 2024 Ann Leonhardt-Caprio, DNP, RN, ANP-BC, FAHA
• 2023 Nancy A. Rudd, MS, BSN, PNP-AC/PC, APNP, FAHA
• 2021 Wendy Dusenbury, RN, DNP, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, ANVP-BC, FAHA
• 2020 Nancy Pike
• 2019 Liz Fox
• 2018 Andrea Driscoll
• 2017 Deborah Klein

• The candidate must be a cardiovascular nurse
• The candidate must be a member of the Council of Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing (CVSN) at the time of nomination.

Current CVSN Clinical Awards Committee members are not eligible to apply for or be nominated for the award.

• The candidate must be the first author of the submitted article.
• The article must be scientifically sound, timely, original, and feature a robust research design, clearly aligning with the goals of the American Heart Association and the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. It should be a reprint of a published, data-based, peer-reviewed article or, if unavailable, an indexed, peer-reviewed, and publicly available article.
• Candidates may be self-nominated or nominated by others.
• An Article of the Year award winner cannot reapply for an article of the year award for at least 2 years.
• An applicant may submit one paper for one article of the year award each year.

• Excellence in cardiovascular nursing clinical practice – The candidate must demonstrate delivery of outstanding patient care (at any point throughout the lifespan) by contributing above and beyond basic job requirements in one or more of the following areas:
  • Cardiac rehabilitation
  • Lipid, hypertensive management
  • Case management
  • Patient and family counseling
  • Acute care and delivery
  • Patient and family education
  • Outpatient care delivery
• Excellence in meeting standards of professional performance articulated by the AHA – The candidate must demonstrate these standards:
  • Systematically evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice by showing evidence of activities directed at continuing to move cardiovascular nursing practice forward.
  • Use outcome management techniques
  • Participate in CQI
  • Show evidence of implementing change that improves practice
  • Participate in operations improvement
• Contributions to the professional development of peers, colleagues and others – Letters of support for the candidate must show evidence of leadership roles:
  • Development of new forums to contribute to others, i.e., the Lipid Nurses Task Force
  • Implementing symposiums, workshops and innovative training programs in cardiovascular nursing
  • Mentorship and preceptorship of students, peers or others
• Collaboration with client, significant others and healthcare providers in providing safe, effective and cost-conscious client care
  • Demonstrated efforts to provide quality cost-effective care
  • Evidence of patient input or perspective in development of patient documentation, clinical pathways and patient education materials
  • Evidence of collaborative activities
• External recognition of scholarship in cardiovascular nursing nursing practice
  • Peer-reviewed and other publications
  • Recognized speaker/educator locally, regionally or nationally
  • Recipient of scholarships or grants
  • Recipient of awards recognizing contributions
  • Consultant activities for other institutions
  • Non-salaried clinical faculty appointment to a school of nursing

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online registration at Professional Heart Daily (PHD) will be necessary to access the Application System. AHA Professional Members who are creating an online profile for the first time should make sure to register using their AHA membership identification numbers.

An active AHA Professional Membership is required of all applicants for this award. If you are joining the AHA to apply, please wait for your AHA member number to arrive from AHA Member Services via e-mail before creating an online profile and starting your application file. We suggest that new members join the AHA no later than one week prior to the application submission deadline for the member ID number to be processed and delivered in time for the application deadline. The membership number will be required on the award application form.

1. Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
2. Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
3. Follow these instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you login to apply for an American Heart Association Council Awards. Please note that the grant maker named American Heart Association is for AHA Research Awards and is a separate log in.
4. To apply for award, follow these steps:
   • Create New Proposal: Start by selecting "Create New Proposal."
   • Filter by Grant Maker: Choose "American Heart Association Council Awards."
   • Select Program: From the Programs list, select "Scientific Sessions Cardiovascular Nursing Awards"
   • Apply Now: Click the "Apply Now" button.
   • Choose Award: Within the application, select the award.

For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.

• How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
• How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
• How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

The winner will receive:

• Complimentary registration to Scientific Sessions
• One (1) complimentary ticket, to the CVSN Council Dinner
• An engraved plaque
• $1,500 honorarium