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CARP Awards & Advancements

Clinical Advancement & Recognition Program

International Nursing

CLINICAL ADVANCEMENT & RECOGNITION PROGRAM (CARP)

The UPHS member entities participating in CARP include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Pennsylvania Hospital, the Clinical Practices of The University of Pennsylvania (CPUP), and Penn Home Care and Hospice Services. All are highly regarded institutions that offer state-of-the-art patient care.

Key to their respected standing is the commitment to the professional development and acknowledgement of nurses who provide direct care to patients. CARP, a component of the UPHS professional practice model, focuses on the recognition of professional nurses and their practice. Consistent with the UPHS mission, CARP is designed to recognize all clinical nurses for their contributions to quality patient care, including clinical knowledge and professional achievements.

This is a four level system, which places clinical practices and skills at the core of nurses' professional development and recognition.

  • Level I is the entry level for new to practice Nurses.
  • Clinical Nurse II is the fundamental practice level for the professional nurse. It represents nurses who have achieved competency and acquired the clinical and professional knowledge and skills to practice in their area.
  • Clinical staff nurses also have opportunities to advance to Level III and Level IV based on their refined skills. Additionally, there is a three level advancement program based on functional roles and clinical expertise, for clinical nurse specialists.

As part of CARP, annual UPHS Clinical Excellence awards are given to select nurses from each entity. The four awards are named for the domains of nursing practice that are the foundation of CARP. A call for nominations is sent to nurses and colleagues at all UPHS entities, and then submitted to a peer committee. Selections are made based on established criteria. An annual UPHS Clinical Excellence Awards Ceremony is held to recognize the four award recipients. Personalized plaques are prominently displayed at each entity to immortalize their contributions.

Lillian Brunner Award for Clinical Judgment and Decision-Making
Awarded to nurses who demonstrate the highest quality of patient care and exhibit excellent clinical judgment that is based on critical priorities and evaluating the patient's response to care. Re-framing clinical situations, they include other health care team members in the development of an appropriate plan.

Rosalyn J. Watts Award for Nurse-Patient/Family Relationship
This award acknowledges nurses who consistently establish therapeutic relationships with patients and their families, characterized by individualized care. Knowing their patients, they incorporate religious, spiritual, ethnic and cultural beliefs into the delivery of care.

Dorothy Botdorf Award for Clinical Leadership
This award recognizes the importance of leadership skills as a component of nursing practice at the point of direct care. Clinical leadership is exemplified by the nurses' abilities to work through others to achieve better patient outcomes and contribute to a nurturing environment for practice.

Helen McClelland Award for Clinical Scholarship
Awarded to nurses who exhibit an attitude of clinical inquiry that integrates evaluation and utilizes research and/or evidence into the delivery of care to patients. Committed to a spirit of life-long learning, they draw on reflective practice as a way of building expertise.

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