The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA) held its annual national meeting and educational seminar in Seattle and on November 11, 2011.   Taralynn R. Mackay, RN, JD, won the 2011 Outstanding Advocate Award, which had not been awarded since 2008.  

TAANA established the Outstanding Advocate Award to recognize an individual member's outstanding legal advocacy. The Awards Committee recognizes that a nurse attorney can be an advocate in various ways, such as making an impact on legislation, authoring scholarly works such as law review articles, books, journal articles, as well as achieving significant rulings in appellate practice, trial practice, and administrative law practice (e.g., hearings before various state boards).  The award is intended to give recognition to a member whose legal theories, strategies, and abilities demonstrate outstanding advocacy.