Sigma announces 2026 Healthy Work Environment Award recipients

Honorees to be celebrated at Sigma’s March 2026 conference in Washington, DC

Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Sigma) is pleased to announce the 2026 Healthy Work Environment Award honorees, which recognize and honor clinical facilities and academic settings that have demonstrated commitment in promoting a healthy work environment and excellence in healthcare outcomes. The academic honoree is the University of Detroit Mercy College of Health Professions (CHP) Wellness Committee in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The clinical honoree is the Code Lavender program at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sigma’s Healthy Work Environment Awards 

The Healthy Work Environment Award honorees will be recognized during Sigma’s Creating Healthy Work Environments conference, taking place in Washington, DC, USA, 20-22 March 2026. Representatives from each organization will take part in special sessions on 21 March 2026.

• Jennifer M. Ahlquist, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, and Andrea N. Kwasky, DNP, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, will represent the academic honoree, the CHP Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committee engages faculty, staff, and students to care for themselves and one another. Its dedication to mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and holistic well-being reflects CHP's mission and the World Health Organization's Healthy Workplace Framework.
• Kathy Ann Sienko, OBE, DProf, Msc, BSC Hons, RN, FInstLM, and Naomi Tuifao, BSN, RN, Cert Social Services, will represent the Code Lavender Program at KFSHRC. The Code Lavender Program is a real-time emotional support service created to enhance staff well-being and resilience. Launched in 2023, the program provides confidential support to nurses and other healthcare staff following stressful or distressing events. A trained team of responders offers grounding exercises, a calming presence, aromatherapy, and mindfulness tools, all delivered in a culturally sensitive and private manner.

Sigma’s Creating Healthy Work Environments event is designed specifically to help leaders in both academic and clinical settings develop, implement, and maintain strategies to improve their organizations’ work environments.