ATLANTA, May 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN), www.aaohn.org, meeting at their annual Symposium & Expo in Orlando, Fla., has announced this year's winners of its member awards, which recognize outstanding individuals and AAOHN chapters that contribute to the occupational health nursing (OHN) field.
One of the honors is the AAOHN Fellow designation, which highlights AAOHN members that make a significant contribution to occupational and environmental health nursing. The 2009 Class of Fellows includes OHN leaders whose vision advances the skills, knowledge and abilities of OHNs. They also influence OHN policy, contribute to research and practice highly effective management and clinical practices.
The 2009 Class of Fellows are: Frances A. Childre, MSN, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN; Sandra J. Cinque, BA, RN, COHN-S/CM, FAAOHN; Patricia W. Clapp, RN, ANP-C, COHN-S, FAAOHN; Mary D.C. Garison, RN, COHN-S, CCM, COHC, FAAOHN; Richard J. Kowalski, RN, MSA, COHN-S; Patricia Z. Louie, BSN, MEd., MPH, COHN-S, FAAOHN; Margaret A. Manuszak, MS, RN, COHN-S/CM, FAAOHN; Linda Gifford-Meuleveld, RN, BA, COHN-S, CCM, FACFEI, FAAOHN; Debra Parker, JD, MSN, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN; Marcella R. Thompson, MS, CSP, MSN, RN, COHN-S, FAAOHN; and Linda F. Walker, BSN, RN, CCM, COHN-S, FAAOHN.
AAOHN Chapters are also granted awards for service within their region or state. This year's Chapter Award winners are presented with a plaque and $300. Chapter of the Year honors went to the Massachusetts State AOHN. The Chapter Communications Award winner for a Local Chapter was the Southern California AOHN, while the Northeast Region won for the State/Regional category. The Greater New Orleans Louisiana AOHN was recognized for Chapter Community Service. Chapter Education Awards for Best Short Activity went to the West Ohio AOHN, the North Carolina State AOHN for Best One-day Activity, and the California State AOHN for Best Multi-day activity. The Chapter Membership Award for Recruitment went to Illinois Quad Cities AOHN and the Heart of Illinois AOHN for the Retention category.
AAOHN's Golden Pen Award, sponsored by SLACK, Inc., recognizes AAOHN Journal contributors for excellence in writing. This year's recipient is Patricia Emanuele, MSN, COHN-S, for "Deep Vein Thrombosis."
AAOHN members are also recognized for sponsoring new members through the Member-Get-A-Member (MGAM) campaign. The 2007-2008 MGAM winners announced at the Annual Business Meeting April 21 were Recruiter of the Year, Karen Lentz; Recruiter of the Year Runner-Up, Terry Hallmark; and Random Drawing Winner, Karen Lentz.
Other prestigious awards for AAOHN members are the Mary Louise Brown Awards for Research and Practice, which were selected during the poster presentations at the Symposium & Expo. The winners of the Mary Louise Brown Research award were co-authors Gunjan Rastogi-Wilson, BSN, RN, Rosaline Owusu, BSN, RN and Paula Pearson, BSN, RN for their poster, "The Stressors of Being a Nurse: Identifying and Evaluating the Occupational Safety, Health Risks, and Exposures of Nursed in Hospitals." The winner of the Mary Louise Brown Practice award was Dana C. Drew-Nord, PhD(c), MS, APRN, BC for her poster, "Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Firefighters."
Two National Occupational Health Nursing Week Essay Contest winners were also announced at the conference. Asked to write on the theme, "OHNs: The Best Value in Healthcare," first place was awarded to Marsha Fitzgerald. Second place was awarded to Teresa Nelson.
For more information on the 2009 AAOHN award recipients, visit the AAOHN website at www.aaohn.org. AAOHN is a global organization whose members protect and promote the health, safety and productivity of workers, worker populations and communities.