The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses has recognized five clinicians with its 2023 Pioneering Spirit Awards and the Marguerite Rodgers Kinney Award for a Distinguished Career, the organization said April 11.
A breakdown of the award recipients:
Ernest Grant, PhD, RN, former president of the American Nurses Association, received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award for his contributions to the field of nursing and efforts to support nurses throughout the pandemic.
Dallas Michelle Ducar, MSN, RN, APRN, received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award for her efforts to expand access to gender-affirming primary care, mental health services and community healthcare. Ms. Ducar is the founder and CEO of Transhealth, a health center in Massachusetts that treats transgender and gender-diverse patients.
Brenda Pun, DNP, RN, and E. Wesley Ely, MD, received the AACN Pioneering Spirit Award for their joint work over the past two decades to create evidence-based tools for clinicians to improve patients' recovery and outcomes after an intensive care unit stay. Dr. Ely serves as co-director of the Center for Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship at Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Dr. Pun serves as the center's director of data quality.
Therese Richmond, PhD, RN, received the 2023 Marguerite Rodgers Kinney Award for a Distinguished Career for her holistic approach to addressing traumatic injuries. Dr. Richmond is the Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in Philadelphia. She also serves as its associate dean for research and innovation.
AACN will present the awards to recipients during the National Teaching Institute and Critical Care Exposition May 22-24 in Philadelphia.