Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Human Caring

Florence Nightingale, the daughter of a wealthy British family, entered the nursing field in 1845 despite family protests and for the next several decades became a pioneer in the practice of nursing and a reformer of hospital sanitation methods.

Numerous states and other organizations have established Nightingale Awards to honor nurses whose professional performance echo the standards and dedication initially set by Florence Nightingale.

In Colorado, The Nightingale Awards for Excellence in Human Caring was founded in 1985 by the University of Colorado. For CAHEC, and the other regional AHEC groups who are the primary implementers of the award process, this award program serves a dual purpose:

• It identifies a group of very talented, dedicated nurses who deserve recognition, and
• It showcases the professional achievements of nurses throughout northeastern and eastern Colorado, which may well encourage young people living in the area to follow in their footsteps

• Initial nominations on behalf of a nurse may be submitted by employers, associates, family or friends
• Nurses may be nominated for their exemplary overall professional performance or for specific incidents during their career
• Nominations must include a 500-word essay about the nurse, and two letters of recommendation supporting the nurse's nomination
• Nominees are required to sign an Acceptance of Nomination in order to be considered for the award. While many of the region's most excellent nurses are often humble and may shy away from being the center of attention, experience has shown that with a bit of persuasion, they really do enjoy being honored.

Nominees are honored at CAHEC’s Annual Nightingale banquet in March, held at Embassy Suites Hotel and Convention Center in Loveland, Colorado. All regional nominations are reviewed by a committee of nursing professionals which selects nominees to win the regional awards. Regional winners will later be considered for the next level, the Colorado State Nightingale Award, and are eligible to win the state award. All nurses selected for consideration at the state level are invited to a gala event in Denver each May, where one of them will receive the award.

While the Nightingale Awards are presented only to RNs, CAHEC also recognizes the important role in community health played by Licensed Practical Nurses. As a result, the organization also seeks LPN nominations to be recognized at the regional dinner in March.