Unit Award - AMSN PRISM Award®

The AMSN PRISM Award^®

Premier Recognition In the Specialty of Med-surg

What is The AMSN PRISM Award?

The AMSN PRISM Award is co-sponsored by the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) and the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB). PRISM stands for Premier Recognition In the Specialty of Med-surg. It was created at the request of AMSN members who wanted an award to recognize the exemplary practice of medical-surgical units.

The AMSN PRISM Award provides special recognition to the exemplary practice of medical-surgical units.

Is Your Unit Exemplary?

The professional nurse is responsible for the individual practice, but it takes a dynamic, energetic, and committed group of professionals working as a team to achieve and sustain outstanding patient outcomes and high staff satisfaction.

Through this distinguished honor, AMSN and MSNCB identify and celebrate medical-surgical units that achieve sustained excellence in:

• Patient/Care Management
• Holistic Patient Care
• Elements of Interprofessional Care
• Professional Concepts
• Nursing Teamwork and Collaboration

What type of unit qualifies as a medical-surgical unit?

Patient care units eligible to apply for the award include any individual acute care unit with a primarily adult and/or elderly patient population with medical-surgical diagnoses. These units may:

• Admit and provide care for adolescent patients on a periodic basis in an "overflow" capacity.
• Be a combined adult/pediatric unit that is classified by the facility as a medical-surgical unit.
• Utilize remote telemetry monitoring, but may not be classified as step-down/progressive care units by their facilities.
• Be from the same facility as long as each unit fits the description of a medical-surgical unit and applies individually.
• Float pools are not eligible to apply.

When will we be notified of the results of our application?

The review process takes approximately 14-16 weeks. The facility contact person will be contacted by email.

How long does the AMSN PRISM Award designation last?

The award is valid for a period of three (3) years, and the unit is encouraged to reapply toward the end of that time.

How is the AMSN PRISM Award presented and acknowledged?

AMSN and MSNCB are pleased to present this award personally to the medical-surgical unit at their facility on a mutually agreed upon celebration date. A member of the AMSN or MSNCB Board (or their designated representative) will make the presentation.

The medical-surgical unit recipient will receive a 19"x16" elegantly framed plaque to display in a prominent location on the unit. Recipient units also receive permission to announce their achievement and use the AMSN PRISM Award Recipient Seal in local and national advertising and publications, and other promotional vehicles (banners, unit scrubs, etc.), per provided guidelines.

AMSN will announce your unit's award on the AMSN Website and in other AMSN media.

What is the submission deadline for the AMSN PRISM Award?

There is no deadline for submitting the AMSN PRISM Award application. Applications will be accepted at any time.

How Does A Unit Apply for the AMSN PRISM Award?

Each unit must complete the AMSN PRISM Award online application and submit payment. Units may apply for the award throughout the year as there are no deadlines.

How is the application evaluated or scored?

Applications are blinded and peer reviewed by a team of medical-surgical nurses using the PRISM Award Scoring Tool. The structure of the application is built on the five (5) criteria categories. To achieve the award, applicants must demonstrate how the unit meets or exceeds every question listed within each category.

Is your unit ready to apply?

Completion of the AMSN PRISM Award application requires planning, time and collaboration on the part of the unit that wishes to apply. To get started review the reference version of the AMSN PRISM Award application.

What is the success rate for achieving the AMSN PRISM Award?

An average of 26 applications are submitted each year for the AMSN PRISM Award, and our current acceptance rate is 54%.

View Recent AMSN PRISM Award Recipients