Individual Awards

Member/CMSRN® Nominated Awards
AMSN and MSNCB are pleased to recognize members and CMSRNs for your phenomenal work! The compassionate care and clinical expertise you provide patients and families goes above and beyond.
We are proud of the advancements in health care you make, and we appreciate your contributions, not only in your professional practice, but in the lives of your patients and families. You truly exemplify the qualities that define excellence in medical-surgical nursing. You are everyday heroes!
One of each of the awards for individuals may be presented each year, provided there is a nominee meeting the award criteria. Presentation takes place during the AMSN Annual Convention.
- Clinical Practice Award
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Sponsored by Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc.
The Clinical Practice Award recognizes an AMSN member for outstanding professional achievements and contributions as a medical-surgical registered nurse who demonstrates a high level of skill in the direct care of medical-surgical patients and has improved the image and clinical practice of med-surg nursing.
2021 Recipient of the Clinical Practice Award
Jessy M. Cherukunnathu, MSN, RN, CMSRN, CNLJessy supported staff at her facility by working with them, implementing interventions, and ensuring the patients were safe. It was a very tough mission, but one that was completed successfully. It did more than streamline procedure. It resulted in about 95% of the staff satisfied - and ready to fight another day.
Jessy's April 2020 project, “Fall reduction in rehab by utilizing the Wireless Chair alarm and commode alarms”, improved the fall rate from 4.13 to 1.49 in rehab. Her unit saved nearly $171,470.
Jessy’s implementation of the spinal immobilization process was created as part of a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) from a post-fall sentinel event in the Med-Surg unit. The action plan was to create a protocol, stabilization kit, and incorporate it into the current fall prevention policy. As of January 2021, 100% of staff was trained.
Jessy consistently provides leadership in the application of the best practices and system improvements at the service and program level, and is the embodiment of what it means to be innovative in your clinical practice.
- Clinical Leadership Award
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Sponsored by Philips Healthcare
The Clinical Leadership Award recognizes an AMSN member for outstanding professional achievement and leadership within the medical-surgical clinical setting whose leadership qualities emulate the highest of professional standards and has improved the image and practice of medical-surgical nursing. The leader demonstrates exceptional compassion and commitment to patients, colleagues, and the profession of medical-surgical nursing.
2021 Recipient of the Clinical Leadership Award
- CMSRN of Distinction Award
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Sponsored by MSNCB
The CMSRN of Distinction Award recognizes a Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) who exemplifies the mission, vision and core values of MSNCB. It acknowledges a CMSRN who is dedicated to promoting and communicating the value of certification by providing education and support to peers, healthcare organizations, patients and/or the community.
2021 Recipient of the CMSRN of Distinction Award
Board Selected Awards
We are pleased to honor nurses who are committed and passionate about the profession of nursing and improving patient care. Candidates for these awards are nominated by the Board of Directors.
- Anthony J. Jannetti Award for Extraordinary Contributions to Health Care
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Sponsored by Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc.
This is the most prestigious award presented by AMSN. "The Tony Award," as it is affectionately called, was established in 1996 in honor of Anthony J. Jannetti in recognition of the support Tony has provided to the profession of nursing and to the formation of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses. This award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of a nurse who has made a significant impact on nursing practice and towards the enhancement of health care in general.
2021 Recipient of the "Tony" Award
Susan B. HassmillerSusan joined the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 1997, and serves as the senior adviser for nursing, where she leads the Foundation’s nursing strategies in an effort to create a higher quality of care in the United States for people, families and communities.
In partnership with AARP, Susan also directs the Foundation’s Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action, which seeks to ensure that everyone in America can live a healthier life, supported by a system in which NURSES are essential partners in providing care and promoting health.
Susan is also the senior scholar in residence and adviser on nursing to the President of the National Academy of Medicine, where she helped to lead the second Future of Nursing Study, which was released in the Spring of 2021. Susan was the study director of the recently published report by the Institute of Medicine, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health.
She is also the recipient of FOUR honorary doctoral degrees, and the recipient of the prestigious American Red Cross 2009 Florence Nightingale Medal.
- AMSN Presidents’ Award
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Sponsored by Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc.
This award is in recognition of extraordinary service to AMSN. AMSN presidents dedicate much time, energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the benefit of the association, therefore, this award is named in their honor.
2021 Recipient of the AMSN Presidents’ Award
Terry Jones, PhD RNSince joining AMSN, Terry dedicated numerous hours, talent, and knowledge to AMSN. Her commitment to advancing the specialty of med-surg is evident in her volunteer efforts, as she tirelessly promotes leadership of the medical-surgical nurse at the point of care.
Terry has also served as chairperson for the CLDP (Clinical Leadership Development Program) task force, which created both the curriculum and the learning modules. Terry served as a content reviewer of the CLDP modules and then as the principal investigator of the CLDP evaluation study which occurred over the course of several years.
The findings and recommendations from the study will have a profound impact on the development of future initiatives in the strategic plan in the areas of education, competencies, coaching, and research.
She was also a very integral part of the Nightingale Challenge at AMSN, and helped to lead our group of med-surg nurses through a year-long college-level program in nursing leadership development.
Her dedication to the practice of nursing, research, and the promotion of the specialty of med-surg nursing are easy to see when looking at her curriculum vitae.
But this only tells a part of the story. Terry loves teaching - and loves to raise her students and colleagues up so that all can contribute and be the very best they can be.
- Kathleen Singleton Award
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Co-Sponsored by Medtronic, Inc.
This award recognizes health care institutions that provide exemplary support to medical-surgical nurses. Established in 2021, this award was named in honor of Kathleen Singleton, who served as AMSN President from 2008-2010 as well as a one of the association’s most dedicated and respected leaders.
AMSN and Medtronic recognize and celebrate organizations that actively promote the need for healthy practice environments for medical-surgical nurses and who exemplify the role of AMSN in promoting nurse well-being, organizational engagement, as well as a commitment to continuing professional growth and development.
2021 Recipient of the Kathleen Singleton Award
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OHCleveland Clinic strongly supports nursing education and clinical competency, and fosters respectful nurse-nurse, nurse-physician, and interprofessional collaborations.
Cleveland Clinic embodies institutional support for medical-surgical nurses and promotes autonomy of nursing practice and nursing leadership. Cleveland Clinic advocates for and sustains a culture of environmental safety for patients and nurses.
Cleveland Clinic has also been a strong supporter of medical-surgical nurses in their institutions by supporting Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN®) certification through AMSN’s FailSafe Certification Program™ and by demonstrating excellence in medical-surgical nursing with two Cleveland Clinic units having received AMSN PRISM Awards®.