Karen O’Neill Professional Award  - Presented annually at NERS

This award is given in tribute and memory of one of Massachusetts finest Emergency Nurses, Karen O’Neill.  Karen died well before her time, but not before she accomplished what many people never accomplish in a lifetime.  Karen was an emergency nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital and later worked as the clinical nurse specialist at Norwood Hospital.  At the time of her death, Karen was a nurse practitioner at Carney Hospital.  She was a true example of an active ENA member.  She was involved in the National Government Affairs Committee, Chairperson of NERS 1996 and the recipient of the National ENA Professionalism Award.  Due to her passion for promoting the education and advancement of emergency nursing Karen established a scholarship for advance practice emergency nurses.  She died in 1997 at age 38.
Below are the criteria that this award will be based on.
* Current membership in ENA
* Demonstration of outstanding knowledge and expertise in emergency nursing
   practice, education and professionalism.
* Demonstration of contributions that affected the professional within the
   community, region or county.
* Demonstration of influencing emergency nursing in a professional role within our
   New England States.
* Serving as a role model for Emergency Nurses.