Congratulations to Dr. Michael Petty, PhD, RN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCNS, on receiving the Mary Fran Tracy Award from the Minnesota Affiliate of the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (MN NACNS) on October 2, 2020. Dr. Petty was nominated by 2 M Health Fairview APNL colleagues who have worked with him for many years, recognizing his longstanding contributions to the profession of nursing, the CNS role, and the nursing department at M Health Fairview. He is well respected at the hospital, system, state, national, and international levels where his contributions are significant and numerous. Key areas highlighted in the nomination include his work to advance and share specialty expertise regarding cardiothoracic, circulatory assist, and heart and lung transplantation patients and their families as well as his leadership to advance nursing practice through implementation of evidence (e.g., CA-UTI prevention) and to generate new knowledge through nursing research.

In his role as advanced practice nurse leader at M Health Fairview, Dr. Petty works with the cardiothoracic population and solid organ transplant specialty. He is also the lead for the complex care clinical grouping within Practice & Education and has been a preceptor for many CNS students over the years. This award is particularly meaningful as it is named for Dr. Mary Fran Tracy, a respected colleague who worked for many years at UMMC in the CNS role and other nursing leadership positions. Dr. Tracy was the co-founder and charter president of the Minnesota Affiliate of the MN NACNS, and has worked tirelessly throughout her distinguished career to advocate for advancing the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist. The award is given to a recipient who exemplifies excellence in education or practice, including:

• 1.       Commitment to advancing expertise in their clinical specialty.
• 2.       Demonstrating leadership in promoting evidence-based practice.
• 3.       Demonstrating quality patient outcomes as a result of his/her practice.
• 4.       Supporting nurses in the delivery of patient care and the advancement of nursing practice.
• 5.       Promoting change or collaboration at the system level to improve or impact patient care.