Each year the APNA Annual Awards recognize APNA members who demonstrate excellence in psychiatric-mental health nursing practice, education, research, leadership, community efforts, and more. This year’s recipients were recognized in person at the APNA 30th Annual Conference that took place October 19-22, 2016 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT.
The Massachusetts Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (MAAPPN) would like to congratulate two of our members who the APNA has recognized.
APNA Annual Awards
Congratulations to Elaine McGrane Olmstead, RN MS, PMHCNS of Acton, MA winner of the Award for Innovation – Individual. The Award for Innovation – Individual is an award that recognizes an APNA member who has developed and/or demonstrated a new, fresh approach to care through innovation in psychiatric-mental health nursing practice.
Elaine Olmstead knew for most of her life that she wanted to become a psychiatric-mental health nurse. “My mother had been a psychiatric nurse,” she says, explaining her childhood aspirations. “I’ve always had a curiosity about what makes people tick. I was drawn to nursing so that I could emphasize both the mind and body aspects of care.” Because she devotes her personal and professional time to volunteering with ground-breaking alternative therapies, Elaine Olmstead is the recipient of the 2016 APNA Award for Excellence in Innovation – Individual.
Congratulations also go to Janice H. Goodman, PhD, PMHCNS-BC of Boston, MA winner of the Award for Excellence in Research. The Award for Excellence in Research is granted to an APNA member who has made a significant contribution to research in psychiatric nursing care, education, leadership/management and/or health services.
An experience during her undergraduate education led Janice Goodman to pursue psychiatric-mental health nursing. “My undergraduate rotation was at Cook County Hospital in Chicago,” Goodman says. “It was eye-opening: I found what I enjoyed most about my work with patients was listening and talking with them – about their experiences, their fears, about what they were thinking and feeling about what was happening to them.” From there, Goodman pursued psychiatric-mental health nursing as a way to connect with patients and discovered a passion for working with pregnant and post-partum women. For her research on perinatal mental health and holistic intervention, Janice Goodman is the recipient of the 2016 APNA Award for Excellence in Research.
MAAPPN is proud to have members who are making a significant impact.