Advancement of Nursing Practice Award

A look at May 2025 Winner for the Advancement of Nursing Practice Award

Candice Henderson, RN IV Manager, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

(summary of her nomination) Candice is an RNIV manager in the NICU and she made significant contributions to the improvement of patient care through her evidence-based practice (EBP) project of implementing tissue adhesive for central line securement. Candice’s leadership over the projects from concept to full implementation was striking —engaging various stakeholders, introducing policy changes, and ensuring the education of the PICC team members. Her work has shown a direct impact on reducing complications, including accidental dislodgement, infections, and CLABSI rates.

Candice’s advocacy resulted in expanding the use of tissue adhesive to umbilical catheters, showing a forward-thinking approach, aiming for even broader improvements in patient care. This comprehensive strategy has clearly had a positive impact, resulting in a remarkable 82.5% reduction in CLABSI rates and 203 CLABSI-free days in the NICU, which is a significant achievement for the NICU. Her initiative also emphasizes the importance of ongoing monitoring and continuous improvement, and the value of multidisciplinary collaboration to improve patient outcomes.

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The Advancement of Nursing Practice Award recognizes outstanding accomplishment in a field of practice, education, or research and demonstrates the interdependence of these elements and their significance for the improvement of nursing and health care.  This nurse also:

• Understands the importance of partnering with patients/families/staff for quality and safety.
• Able to show a change or improvement in nursing by introducing new and creative ideas, devices or methods that have increased efficiency, effectiveness and /or a desirable outcome.
• Be able to show a plan, with coordinated activities, that leads from a concept to a finished product, in one (1) of the following categories:

1. Quality / Performance / Process Improvement
2. Evidenced-based Practice
3. Research
4. Issue/Idea Referral/Innovation

Nomination Requirements

1. Must be a registered nurse
2. The project outcome must have been realized within the past 12 months. Project work could have begun within the previous two (2) years.

Nomination Process

1. Complete online application below in its entirety relating to the nurse you are nominating. If you have any supportive information in the area provided in the nomination form, please attach it.  NOTE:  Nominations will not be accepted after the closing date. 
2. The nominator may request from the nominee evidence, based on one of the innovation categories; Quality, Research, Evidenced-based Practice and/or Issue Referral. This could include, but not limited to, project charter, abstracts, PDSA, protocol’s, published work, presentations, awards and/or a copy of portfolio content the nominee may already have available. Award committee must be able to validate evidence to support story if needed.

Selection Process

1. Nominations, that meet criteria, will be blinded and reviewed by the Awards Committee. The Awards Committee will select winners based only on the information provided in the nomination and supportive information.
2. Nominees who meet the criteria, as well as the selected winner, will be celebrated during annual Professional Nursing Awards ceremony.

Click here to view past nomination example.

Come back in January of 2026.