Excellence in Media Award

The American Academy of Nursing's Excellence in Media Award recognizes exemplary journalism that reports on health or health care with accurate and appropriate inclusion of nurses’ contributions or perspectives.

Eligible individuals are journalists representing media including newspapers, radio, television, magazines, online sources of public information (including blogs), and other media (including documentary films) that target a public audience. Entries may include investigative reporting stories, breaking news, shorts, single stories, series, documentaries, and other media approaches. Nursing-specific media are not eligible.

The impact of the work can be local, regional, national, or international but an estimated number of impressions or people reached must be included, along with any other impact of the work (e.g., reader response or change in a policy). Entries can be submitted by the journalist or team responsible for the entry, an Academy fellow who is familiar with the entry, or other interested parties.

The media awards committee will review entries and select the awardee. The primary or lead journalist awardee will receive a $1,500 cash prize (or have a charitable donation made in awardee’s honor). The primary awardee will be expected to attend the Academy's annual conference, where the award will be presented. Travel and lodging expenses will be reimbursed for the primary awardee.

The committee also has the authority to select up to three honorable mentions. These awardees will receive a certificate. There is no travel, lodging, or cash prize for honorable mentions.

Submit an Excellence in Media Award Nomination

Submission Criteria:

• The nomination was first published between June 1, 2014, and May 31, 2015.
• The target audience for the media piece was the public at large.
• Nurses, their perspectives, and nursing are presented accurately and without stereotyping.
• Nurses are sources for the media piece when appropriate.
• Nurses are identified as such in the story and in photos.
• The story reports on the topic with depth and accuracy.
• Standards of ethical journalism are followed.
• Payment of a one-time entry fee of $50.

Entry Requirements

**All entries must be submitted by September 14, 2015.** 

Citation & Description of Entry
Applicants will be required to provide the following information:

Citation of entry:

1. Provide a description of the entry.
2. Why this entry meets the criteria for the Academy's Excellence in Media Award.
3. What has been the effect of this entry?

Copy of Entry

Entries must include a completed entry form and copies of the work:

• Submissions may be digitally uploaded during the submission process

• Newspaper entries: Two tear sheets or full-page photocopies of entry and one DVD/CD/USB drive with PDF of entry.
• Magazine entries: Two copies (or originals) of the article or series and one DVD/CD/USB drive with PDF of entry.
• Websites and online-only publications: Live URL and one DVD/CD/USB drive with PDF of entry.
• Radio: two DVD/CD/USB drive of entry in mp3 format.
• Television, film and video: two DVD/CD/USB drive of entry.
• Multimedia: two DVD/CD/USB drive of entry. 

Hard copies of the work must be postmarked no later than September 14, 2015.

Mail to:
Excellence in Media Award
American Academy of Nursing
1000 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 910
Washington, DC 20005

Nominators will be notified by September 30, 2015, regarding whether their nominee was selected for the award.

For questions or more information, contact the Academy.

Examples of past Academy Media Award winners include

• “Victims’ Allies” an article in Colorado Springs Gazette on forensic nursing.
• “It Doesn’t Have to be Sad: The Life of a Hospice Nurse” an article in Ladies’ Home Journal on the profound care of hospice nurses.
• “Critical Care:  The Making of an ICU Nurse” a newspaper series in the Boston Globe which sought to raise the image and understanding of the vital role, responsibilities and opportunities for nurses within today’s health care system.”
• The Center for Nursing Advocacy for its campaigns ‘campaign to Improve Nursing Portrayal on ER” and “Nurses Persuade Sketchers to Halt Massive Global Ad Campaign Featuring Christina Aguilera as Dominatrix Nurse”