Center for Correctional Nursing and The DAISY Foundation® will honor the co-founders of the American Correctional Nurses Association with DAISY Leadership Awards at the NCCHC National Conference on November 3 in Baltimore, MD.
The awards will be presented during ACNA’s 5-year birthday celebration at the NCCHC National Conference on Correctional Health Care.
“Correctional nurses deliver skilled, compassionate care in some of the most complex practice environments in healthcare,” said Deborah Shelton, PhD, RN, CCHP, co-founder of C4CN. “The ACNA co-founders built a professional home for those nurses-advancing role clarity, advocacy, and evidence-based practice. We’re thrilled to partner with The DAISY Foundation to honor their leadership in such a joyful way.”
A representative of The DAISY Foundation added, “The DAISY Leadership Award celebrates leaders who create a culture where extraordinary nursing can thrive. ACNA’s founders have championed standards, mentorship, and community for correctional nurses nationwide- an impact truly worthy of this recognition.”
Founded in 2020, ACNA has rapidly become a unifying voice for nurses practicing in jails, prisons, detention centers, and community reentry settings. The DAISY Leadership Awards will acknowledge the co-founders’ pivotal work establishing a national platform for professional identity, education, and peer support- contributions that continue to elevate patient care and workforce well-being across correctional health.
“Five years is a milestone,” said Lori Roscoe, DNP, PhD, CCHP-RN, co-founder of C4CN. “But the legacy of these leaders will be measured in decades- seen in safer care, stronger teams, and nurses who feel seen, prepared, and proud of their specialty.”
The eight ACNA co-founders being honored include (in alphabetical order):
- Patricia Blair, Ph.D., JD, MSN, CCHP-RN, CCHP-A
- Annette Maruca, Ph.D., RN-BC, CCHP
- Mary Muse, RN, MS, CCHP-RN, CCHP-A
- Louise Reagan, PhD, APRN
- Lori Roscoe, DNP, PhD, CCHP-RN
- Deborah Shelton, PhD, RN, CCHP
- Sue Smith, MSN, RN, CCHP-RN
- Ramesh Upadhyaya, DNP, RN, CCHP
