The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has given its prestigious ANCC President’s Award to Karen N. Drenkard, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, in tribute to her invaluable contributions to the nursing profession.
Dr. Drenkard serves as senior vice president, chief clinical officer, and chief nurse of the O’Neil Center at GetWellNetwork® Inc. in Bethesda, Maryland, where she provides clinical direction and brings the voice of nursing to patient engagement and the innovation of technology to nursing practice.
She also serves as the chair of the Advocacy Committee of the Friends of the National Institute for Nursing Research (FNINR) and is an editorial advisor to the Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA) and Nursing Administration Quarterly (NAQ).
Dr. Drenkard is the immediate past executive director of the American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Magnet Recognition Program®. While at ANCC, Dr. Drenkard’s vision was instrumental in helping ANCC achieve unprecedented growth and improve service in products and programs that serve nurses. Her efforts and support helped ANCC obtain full ISO 9001:2008 certification. Her passion for advancing nursing practice in work environments is immensely recognized by nurse leaders across the healthcare continuum.
Dr. Drenkard’s leadership and support of the Magnet Recognition Program have helped ANCC be recognized as a global leader,” says President Michael Evans, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, FAAN. It’s because of her profound passion and commitment to nursing innovation that nurses from Magnet-recognized organizations around the world can trust ANCC to deliver the most advanced nursing programs for their practice needs.”
In 2013, Dr. Drenkard was nominated as one of the 100 most influential healthcare leaders in the country by Modern Healthcare. She is a true visionary who continuously strives to create and improve nursing standards through the promise of research and innovation.
“Dr. Drenkard’s leadership, innovation, and compassion are surpassed only by the impact she has made on the practice of nursing and the delivery of care,” said Michael O’Neil, founder and chief executive officer of GetWellNetwork. “Throughout her career, she has been a true champion for nurses and patients everywhere, and she continues to build on her legacy and profoundly important work with us today. We are so pleased that the ANCC has recognized Karen with this prestigious award.”
About the ANCC President’s Award
The President’s Award recognizes exceptional leaders who have partnered with the ANCC president to advance the mission, vision, and strategic goals of the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Honorees are personally selected by the president rather than by a committee, and the award is given only when the recognition is warranted. Past recipients include those who have enhanced nurse professionalism and helped make ANCC the premier credentialing organization it is today.
About ANCC
The mission of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA), is to promote excellence in nursing and health care globally through credentialing programs. ANCC’s internationally renowned credentialing programs certify and recognize individual nurses in specialty practice areas. ANCC recognizes healthcare organizations that promote nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes while providing safe, positive work environments through the Magnet Recognition Program® and Pathway to Excellence program®. Visit ANCC at www.nursecredentialing.org.
*The announcement above is reproduced verbatim from the announcement on the ANCC website.