INACSL Excellence Awards

Acknowledge the outstanding contributions of your peers and colleagues in healthcare simulation by submitting a nomination for one (or more) of our INACSL Excellence Awards! This is the perfect way to recognize the inspirational simulationists in our community for their hard work and accomplishments that continue to push the field forward. 

INACSL Excellence Award nominations for 2024 are currently open. Take the time to recognize the incredible work your peers and colleagues are doing by submitting an application for one of the awards listed below. Winners will be recognized during INACSL24 but it is not required for award recipients to be present at the conference to accept their award. 

Academic Excellence Award

The Academic Excellence Award is presented to an INACSL member who demonstrates advancing academic excellence in the field of healthcare simulation and clinical laboratories.

This award will be given to an INACSL member that:

• Employs INACSL Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM in teaching and learning.
• Demonstrates flexibility, creativity, enthusiasm for, and innovation in simulation instructional design and delivery.
• Demonstrates a sustained record of teaching excellence in academic or other educational professional practice settings.
• Practices teaching excellence through the use of evidence-based and evidence-informed planning, delivery, and evaluation of simulation-based learning endeavors.
• Embodies the professional values of a healthcare professional and educator and is held in high regard by students and colleagues.
• Engages in knowledge translation, including the dissemination of simulation- based education through peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations, poster presentations, and other modes of dissemination.
• Delivers educational offerings that are validated by evidence of positive outcomes for students, educators, and peers.

Best Practice Innovator Excellence Award

The Best Practice Innovator Excellence Award honors a member of INACSL in the academic or the practice setting that goes above and beyond the ordinary, to demonstrate extraordinary commitment and the use of innovative approaches to the expansion, promotion, dissemination, and/or utilization of the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM.

This award will be given to an individual who demonstrates outstanding accomplishments in some or all of the following areas: 

• Demonstrates leadership and advocacy for the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM by:
• Collaborating and networking with simulation groups (intra/interdisciplinary) at the local, regional, national, or international level.
• Fostering an understanding of the need for best practice standards with stakeholder groups through contributions at civic, legislative, or professional association levels.
• Advances the continued evolution and/or interpretation of the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM by:
• Interpreting professional standards of best practice for peers and/or public, reviews, and/or analyzing standards of practice in a variety of settings.
• Advising on standards of best practice.
• Collaborating to develop or update standards for simulation.
• Engaging researchers, clinicians, and educators in the utilization of the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM.
• Expands understanding the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM to increase the quality and quantity of best practices in simulation in nursing by:
• Assisting other nurses or healthcare professionals to acquire knowledge of evidence-based standards of simulation.
• Mentoring others to interpret and apply best practice standards of simulation.
• Creating materials that promote knowledge translation of best practice standards of simulation.
• Promoting evaluation of various aspects of simulation programs against the healthcare standards of best practice.
• Presenting workshops/seminars on healthcare standards related to simulation for stakeholder groups and other disciplines.
• Engages in intentional and explicit utilization of the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM to advance healthcare practice (e.g. Quality Care Improvement, Person/Family Centered Care/Patient Safety, Interprofessional Education) through:
• Application of best practices in simulation to the professional realm that impacts positive outcomes.
• Employment of the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM  to improve patient care.
• Implementation of the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice^TM  in a defined area of healthcare practice.

Diversity, Inclusivity, and Equity in Simulation Leadership Excellence Award

The Diversity, Inclusivity, and Equity in Simulation Leadership Excellence Award is given to a visionary and inspiring healthcare leader in the INACSL simulation practice community who is an exemplary role model dedicated to diversity, inclusivity, and/or equity in simulation practices.

This will be awarded to an individual that:

• Demonstrates impact regarding diversity, inclusivity, or equity in simulation in nursing in local, regional, national, or international environments:
• Fosters environments that celebrate diversity and inclusion.
• Supports diversity and the culture of inclusion in day-to-day life.
• Role models inclusivity and equity.
• Demonstrates outstanding interpersonal skills and cultural humility.
• Participates in the development of healthcare leaders by encouraging diversity, inclusivity, or equity:
• Mentors and coaches others to increase awareness of diversity and inclusion in all simulation-based activities.
• Supports the diverse needs of learners.
• Facilitates professional socialization to integrate diversity and inclusion.
• Promotes scholarly endeavors that stimulate and foster the development of cultural humility and cultural competence in others within the healthcare simulation practice community.

Frontline Simulation Champion Excellence Award

The Frontline Simulation Champion Excellence Award acknowledges a hard-working individual, and/or team who demonstrates exceptional dedication in the day-to-day implementation of simulation, going beyond the ordinary dedication to excellence in the delivery of simulation-based learning in academic, healthcare institution, or community settings.

Frontline Champion(s) have a proven track record for excellence through:

• Demonstrating a commitment to excellence to optimize simulation-based activities and produce positive outcomes, such as dedication, innovation, creativity, and collaboration.
• Displaying exceptional contributions toward the successful implementation in the day-to- day delivery of simulation programs, such as problem solving, realism, dependability, information technology/digital audio/visual. 

Research Excellence Award

The Research Excellence Award is given to an INACSL member or group of which one individual is an INACSL member, whose endeavors in simulation research has resulted in either the generation of new knowledge or the facilitation of research efforts by others. This research has yielded a significant and unrecognizable benefit to nursing and/or non-nursing simulation communities.

This award will be given to an individual who demonstrates outstanding accomplishments in some or all of the following areas: 

• The research, or program of research conducted by an individual or a group is recognized for its:
• Seminal or significant work (theory generation)
• Scientific merit
• Synthesis of existing research
• Significant benefit(s) for simulation in nursing/ non-nursing communities
• The dissemination of the research is communicated using multimodal communication approaches to promote and increase accessibility and usability of the findings:
• Peer reviewed publication(s)
• Written scholarly works (books/chapters/government publications)
• Peer-reviewed conference presentations/poster presentations

Facilitating Research in Simulation:

• This individual or group facilitates the research efforts of others by:
• Mentoring others in the process of nursing and/or healthcare research in simulation (either the study of simulation itself or using simulation to study another phenomenon).
• Establishing/chairing research committees.
• Promoting and facilitating applications for research grants.
• Collaborating to offer research conferences/workshops.
• Serving as editor for peer-reviewed journal submissions.
• Serving on advisory/editorial panels of research journals.
• Participating in the review of research proposals (local, state, national or global).
• Supporting the dissemination of others’ research through multimodal communication methods. 

Spirit of Simulation Leadership Excellence Award

The Spirit of Simulation Leadership Excellence Award is given to a visionary and inspiring leader in the INACSL simulation practice community who exemplifies the characteristics of a transformational leader. This award is open to those in academia and in the healthcare clinical setting.

This award will be given to an individual who has a proven track record to:

• Inspire, create, and lead a vision for simulation in local, regional, national, or international environments.
• Recognized as a leader in the simulation practice community and beyond.
• Appointed/elected to national and/or international task forces, commissions, councils, and/or committees.
• Involved in other significant leadership endeavors such as, service in a legislative, professional and/or community capacity.
• Participate in the development of leaders and encourage new leadership in simulation.
• Promotes sense of worth and empowerment in others.
• Demonstrates outstanding interpersonal skills.
• Facilitates professional socialization at all levels within the simulation practice community.
• Mentor, guide, and teach others as leaders by creating conditions that foster growth and transformation in others.
• Nurtures an environment that encourages active listening.
• Establishes a rich, trusting relationship with the mentee.
• Promotes scholarly endeavors that stimulate and foster professional personal growth and leadership development in others within the simulation practice community. 

Additional INACSL Award Winners

President's Award

The President’s Award is a special honor appointed by the INACSL President to recognize one individual who shows outstanding character, who advocates for the healthcare simulation community to transform lives, and who approaches their work with a collaborative spirit. Award to be announced at the INACSL Annual Conference.

Past INACSL Excellence Award Recipients

The INACSL Excellence Awards have a long history of recognizing some of the field's brightest minds and generous spirits in healthcare simulation. See who in our community has been a past INACSL Excellence Award winner.