2012 tnf Scholarly Writing Contest Guidelines
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“Nurses Leading to the Future”
2012 TNF Scholarly Writing Contest
The Tennessee Nurses Foundation is sponsoring a scholarly writing contest for TNA members. A $1,000 award will be presented to the winner as part of the celebration of Nurses Week 2012.
Criteria:
- Registered Nurse
- Contest applicant must have been a continuous member of TNA for at least one year prior to entering the contest
- Paper is publishable as submitted.
Manuscript requirements:
- Introduction: will provide adequate foundation for the body of the paper and will include a purpose statement for
the paper
- Body of the Paper: will address one of the following
- Nursing research – how to use research in daily practice supported by an example and explanation of how you have used research in your daily practice.
- The use of leadership in daily practice supported by an example and explanation of how you have either used or experienced a particular leadership style in your daily practice
- How you have used or influenced the use of evidence based practice in your daily practice.
- Identify mentoring strategies for use with new nurses and/or strategies to retain the experienced nurse
3. Conclusion: will summarize the main points of the body of the paper with implications for nursing practice.
4. References: will be adequately and appropriately referenced in the body of the paper and will be from contemporary peer
reviewed resources.
5. Must not have been previously published.
6. Maximum of 10 pages (inclusive of references)
7. Double spaced, 10 – 12 point font.
A completed application must include:
- All applicant contact information including email and TNA identification number.
- Two (2) copies of the manuscript.
Deadline for submission: March 31, 2012. Submissions must be postmarked by this date. Fax submissions are not accepted.
Entries will be judged by blind review by selected nursing experts. The winner will be notified by certified mail.
Please mail submissions to
TNF Scholarly Writing Contest
545 Mainstream Drive, Suite 405
Nashville, TN 37228‐1296
Past Winners
Patty Orr, EdD, MSN, RN
$1,000 Winner of the TNF 2010 Scholarly Writing Contest
Patty Orr’s manuscript, How I Use My Research in Daily Practice, reflects her belief that evidence-based nursing practice frames well designed nursing practice research initiatives. Orr wrote that the
most essential component of achieving success in her research is using identified evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions as the standard to consistently drive the achievement of specific outcomes
in her research.
Orr strives to test and achieve what the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guides clinical practitioners to
provide patients–that care providers execute patient care interventions which are effective, efficient, equitable,
safe, timely, and patient centric.
Orr is Chair of Excellence and an assistant professor in the Austin Peay State University School of Nursing in Clarksville, Tenn.
Access article: How I Use My Research in Daily Practice
Brenda D. Steen, BSN, RN, CCRA
$1,000 winner of the 2009 TNF Scholarly Writing Contest
Substance abuse among the nursing profession is a grave problem that requires serious attention. Researchers have long documented the correlation of stress and substance abuse. Brenda’s paper, entitled Promoting Positive Coping Skills in the New Nursing Workforce, covers an integrated literature review of substance abuse among nurses, concentrating on the importance of awareness and knowledge among nurses and nurse leaders, and the support that will be necessary to ensure the success of the new nursing workforce.
Access article: Promoting Positive Coping Skills in the New Nursing Workforce
Lois Bolden, PhD, PMHCNS-BC
SAMHSA Post Doctoral Fellow
$1,000 winner of the 2008 Scholarly Writing Contest
Changes in the insurance industry have altered the healthcare business tremendously. Lack of
insurance and financial constraints compounded by the nursing shortage will likely influence
quality of healthcare, access to healthcare, and health seeking behaviors of individuals who are
ill. Patients who are less likely to participate in preventive health promotion behavior are often
more acutely ill when entering healthcare systems, further increasing the need for highly skilled
nurses. These changes make critical thinking skills even more crucial to nurses who are
providing care. The estimated demand for nurses with the skills to function in changing
healthcare systems precipitated the need for changes in academia to increase the number of
nursing students entering and graduating from nursing schools.
Andragogical approaches to teaching and learning are crucial for creating an environment that fosters students’ critical thinking skills and allows the teacher to role model effective communication skills and team building behaviors to this new generation of students in nursing programs today.
Access Article: Making a Case for Andragogical Approaches to Teaching and Mentoring Students