The Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association paid tribute to the creative and outstanding work of Dr. Karen Monsen of the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Omaha System User Group by awarding them the 2008 Public Health Nursing Creative Achievement Award. This prestigious award was presented at the 2008 Annual Conference of the American Public Health Association in San Diego, California, on October 28, 2008.

The Minnesota Omaha System User Group is a volunteer, grass roots collaboration of public health agencies that use the Omaha System in documenting public health nursing services. This innovative, successful, statewide collaboration was initiated in 2001. Group successes range from supporting public health nurse practice to advancing policy agendas that promote the profession. The group has developed a web site that is used as a resource by other Omaha System users nationally and internationally. A colleague noted, "During the 30 years that I have been involved with the Omaha System, no user group comprised of volunteers has worked together as well or has been as productive as this one."

Dr. Karen Monsen was identified by her colleagues as the founder and leader of the Minnesota Omaha System User Group. She is recognized for implementing a creative practice model, mentoring public health colleagues, conducting intervention effectiveness research demonstrating public health nursing outcomes, and disseminating her research findings. Dr. Monsen experience has included over 25 years of public health nursing and management responsibilities in a local health department before assuming a faculty position at the University of Minnesota, School of Nursing.

The Public Health Nursing Section of the American Public Health Association is proud to recognize Dr. Karen Monsen and the Minnesota Omaha System Users Group as the 2008 recipient of the Public Health Nursing Creative Achievement Award.