2026 Nursing Excellence Vision Awards

Celebrate the Leaders Who Are
Rethinking Nursing
for What’s Next.

You’re cordially invited to submit your nomination for the
Tipton Health 2026 Nursing Excellence Vision Awards, honoring nurse leaders who are transforming nursing.

Submit Your Nomination Learn How to Nominate

Nominations Open August 3

Close September 14

Presented Oct 30 – Chicago

THE PROGRAM

Recognition Your Leaders Earn.

In 2026, the Vision Awards become a formal, nomination-based honor judged by an independent CNO Advisory Board. This is recognition your leaders earn.

Independent Judging

A board of nationally recognized nurse leaders evaluates every nomination.

Blinded Nominations

Submissions are blinded before judging, so strong stories win, not strong writers.

Celebrated in Person

Honorees are presented in person at the Tipton Health Partner Luncheon, October 30, in Chicago (site of the 2026 ANCC Magnet & Pathway Conference®)

THE AWARDS

Two Awards. One Standard of Excellence.

The Vision Award honors transformational leaders who set a vision and changed an
organization. The Impact & Execution Award honors the leaders who deliver results
where the rubber meets the road.

Highest Honor

The Vision Award

The program’s highest honor, for a transformational leader with a career history of nursing excellence who set a vision and changed a system or organization. Weighted toward CNOs and CNEs.

WHAT JUDGES LOOK FOR

A career history of sustained nursing excellence
A vision that transformed a system or organization
Lasting cultural and strategic impact on nursing

Open to All Levels

The Impact & Execution Award

For leaders driving measurable, immediate results, outcomes, benchmarks, and program execution. Open to nursing excellence leaders at every level, including CNOs, MPDs, PPDs, and Directors of Nursing Excellence.

WHAT JUDGES LOOK FOR

Measurable, immediate results against outcomes and benchmarks
Strong program execution where the rubber meets the road
Impact felt by teams, patients, and the organization

Judging weights stay internal as guidance for the advisory board; the full scoring rubric is shared
with every nominator.

ELIGIBILITY

Who Can Be Nominated.

Nominations are open to nurse leaders across partnering Tipton Health client organizations. Nominate a colleague or your team, the form takes minutes.

Not yet a Tipton client? Partner with us and your leaders become eligible for future awards.

. From a partnering Tipton client

Nominees must belong to a current Tipton Health client organization.

. A nurse leader at any level

CNEs, CNOs, MPDs, PPDs, and Directors of Nursing Excellence are all eligible.

. Nominated by a colleague

A peer or team puts the name forward, self-nominations are not accepted.

. Not a past-year winner

Nominees must not have received the same award in the previous year.

HOW IT WORKS

Judged by an Independent Advisory Board.

A short nomination, blinded for fairness, evaluated by nationally recognized nurse
leaders, then celebrated in Chicago.

01

Submit

Complete a short survey for nomination. It takes minutes, not weeks.

02

Screen & Blind

Tipton checks eligibility and completeness within 5 days, then blinds every submission.

03

Evaluate

The independent CNO Advisory Board scores blinded nominations by October 1.

04

Celebrate

Winners are notified privately, never announced early, and revealed at the Oct 30 luncheon.

The CNO Advisory Board

Tipton Health Board membership 2026.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW

CNO Advisory Board Announcement Coming Soon

Stay tuned as we reveal the distinguished nurse leaders supporting the Nursing Excellence Vision Awards.

KEY DATES

The Road to Chicago.

August 3

Nominations Open

Public launch, invitation, website, and portal go live.

September 14

Nominations Close

Tipton screens submissions within 5 days, then blinds them for judges.

By October 1

Board Scoring Complete

The independent CNO Advisory Board finishes scoring blinded nominations.

October 10

Winners Notified

Winners are told privately and never announced before the luncheon.

October 30

Presented in Chicago

Presented in person at the Tipton Health Partner Luncheon

2025 HONOREES

In Good Company.

The leaders recognized at last year’s luncheon, and the standard this year’s honorees
will join now that the awards are formal and independently judged.