Scholarly Achievement Award

 Sponsored by The Research Foundation

 In recognition of the involvement of faculty members in scholarly pursuits, and in order
  to promote the continuation of such involvement, The Research Foundation, formerly the
  fund raising entity for Research Medical Center, has established the Scholarly
  Achievement Award. This award will be made annually in the spring and announced at
  the pinning ceremony or other suitable occasion. The award includes a $1,000.00
  honorarium.

  The focus of the Award for Scholarship is on the 'Scholarship of Discovery', 'Scholarship
  of Practice' and 'Scholarship of Integration' as defined by the American Association of
  Colleges of Nursing in the Position Statement on Defining Scholarship for the Discipline
  of Nursing. The following definition and standards are quoted from this position
  statement.

  Definition of Scholarship in Nursing: Scholarship in nursing can be defined as those
  activities that systematically advance the teaching, research, and practice of nursing
  through rigorous inquiry that

 1) is significant to the profession,

 2) is creative,

 3) can be documented,

 4) can be replicated or elaborated, and

 5) can be peer-reviewed through various methods.

 This definition is applied in the following standards that describe scholarship in nursing.

 Standards:
  Scholarship of Discovery
  The scholarship of discovery is inquiry that produces the disciplinary and professional
  knowledge that is at the very heart of academic pursuits (Boyer, 1990). Within nursing,
  the scholarship of discovery reflects the unique perspective of nursing that "takes an
  expanded view of health by emphasizing health promotion, restoration, and
  rehabilitation, as well as a commitment to caring and comfort (AACN, 1998, p.1)." The
  scholarship of discovery takes the form of primary empirical research, historical research,
  theory development and testing, methodological studies, and philosophical inquiry and
  analysis. It increasingly is interdisciplinary and collaborative in nature, across
  professional groups and within nursing itself.

 Examples of Documentation of the Quality of Integrative Scholarship

• Peer-reviewed publications of research, policy analysis, case studies, integrative
  reviews of the literature, and others
• Copyrights, licenses, patents, or products for sale
• Published books
• Positive peer evaluations of contributions to integrative scholarship
• Reports of interdisciplinary programs or service projects
• Interdisciplinary grant awards
• Presentations
• Policy papers designed to influence organizations or governments

  Source: Position Statement on Defining Scholarship for the Discipline of Nursing from
  the American Association of Colleges of Nursing

  Criteria for Candidacy:
  1. Research and presentation/publication must be completed during the year
      immediately preceding that in which the award is given.
  2. Only one award will be given for any one project; subsequent nominations must be
      for substantially different projects.
  3. Faculty members will be eligible for the award only once every two years.

  Process for Nomination and determination of recipient:
  Submit the following information to the Dean and/or the appropriate committee by
  November 1:

• Name and academic rank of the nominee
• Short essay from nominee that describes how the nominee meets at least one of
  the three standards (discovery, practice, integrative) of scholarship in nursing (no
  more than one typed page).
• Copy of the scholarly work (e.g. written peer evaluations, articles published)
• Curriculum Vita
• Letter of support from a peer

  The Dean and/or appropriate committee will review all applications. The Dean must
  forward their final recommendation and it must be received by The Research Foundation
  Board of Directors by January 1.
  The Research Foundation Board of Directors will notify the Dean and the recipient prior
  to public announcement so that the faculty member may be present on the occasion of the
  award.

 The Research Foundation, formerly the fund raising entity for Research Medical Center, 
  became a separate non-profit organization following the sale of Health Midwest/Research
  Medical Center to HCA, a for-profit company on April 1, 2003.  The Foundation exists for
  the continued benefit of the communtiy and its improved health status.