Six Cognella Textbooks Honored with Seven 2025 American Journal of Nursing (AJN) Book of the Year Awards
Six Cognella titles named among the most valuable nursing texts of 2025 in a variety of nursing subcategories
San Diego, CA – January 14, 2026 – Six Cognella nursing textbooks were recently presented with seven 2025 Book of the Year Awards from the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) in the categories of Community/Home Health Care, Health Care Administration, History and Public Policy, Nursing Research, Professional Issues, and Public and Population Health. One title won a first-place award, three titles won second-place awards, and three titles won third-place awards.
Established in 1969, AJN publishes an annual list of the most valuable nursing texts. The annual list has grown into a prestigious award program that enlists experts to serve as judges across 20 subcategories within the discipline.
“The 2025 AJN Book of the Year Awards celebrate the innovators and visionaries who are shaping the future of nursing education,” said Amanda Martin, Executive Publisher in Nursing Health Sciences at Cognella. “Our Cognella authors exemplify that spirit – combining research, experience, and empathy to create learning resources that lift the profession. Thank you for your dedication and congratulations to each of you on this well-deserved honor.”
First-Place Winner
Community and Public Health Nursing: An Active Learning Approach by Cindy Farris and Denise McEnroe-Petitte was awarded first place in the Community/Home Health Care category.
The AJN judging panel shared the following comments about the text:
“Community and Public Health Nursing is a delightfully succinct, comprehensive, and easy-to-absorb textbook. Thought-provoking quotes at the beginning of each chapter set the tone for the learner. Chapters include learning outcomes, keywords and concepts, definitions, active learning exercises, case studies mapped to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, NCLEX-style questions, references, and more. The interactive learning pedagogies are perfect for educating today’s learners and preparing them to demonstrate knowledge of community and public health concepts.”
Second-Place Winners
Public and Community Health Nursing: Expanding the Learning Experience by Anita Finkelman was awarded second place in the Community/Home Health Care category.
The AJN judging panel shared the following comments about the text:
“This textbook demonstrates the author’s command of community and public health concepts and competencies. Each chapter includes clear learning outcomes, summaries, and discussion questions to facilitate the student’s conceptualization of the content. The text provides nursing students with many tools for developing community and public health competencies. The vast number of resources and references presented will aid students in preparing for the NCLEX.”
Who Cares for the Nurse? Caring for the Caregiver with Practical Applications for Managing Stress by Marybeth Baribeau was awarded second place in the Professional Issues category.
The AJN judging panel shared the following comments about the text:
“This book will help nurses and nursing students manage stress, develop personalized self-care plans, and cultivate resiliency. The author challenges the false concept of self-care being selfish—rather, she refers to it as a “vital aspect of a nurse’s personal and professional life.” The reader is asked to consider important questions (Who cares for the nurse? Is my work environment healthy? What keeps me up at night?) and is prompted to write journal entries.
I love how this book helps nurses evaluate their work environments and recognize how unhealthy work environments could result in burnout and negative patient outcomes. It addresses concerns about workplace safety, incivility, and bullying, and encourages nurses to set appropriate boundaries, develop supportive relationships, and advocate for policy change. Additionally, I appreciate Chapter 8, “What Can I Do to Feel Less Tired?” which discusses the importance of proper nutrition and hydration, sufficient sleep, regular exercise, taking scheduled breaks, and using mindfulness techniques.”
Health Promotion: A Guide to Providing Proactive and Holistic Care by Elizabeth Pratt was awarded second place in the Public and Population Health category.
The AJN judging panel shared the following comments about the text:
“In this text, population and public health are discussed separately and where they overlap. I was impressed with the population health focus on health promotion. The concepts of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention; social determinants of health; and health equity are introduced early in the text and are addressed throughout. The book’s emphasis on the importance of environmental influences on health, as well as its inclusion of complementary and alternative approaches to health promotion, set it apart.”
Third-Place Winners
Leading Evidence-Based Practice and Quality Improvement Initiatives in Advanced Nursing Practice: A Competency-Based Approach edited by Jayne Jennings Dunlap and Julee Briscoe Waldrop was awarded third place in two categories: Health Care Administration and Nursing Research.
The AJN judging panel shared the following comments about the text:
Health Care Administration Category:
“This book serves as a comprehensive toolkit for advanced nursing practice and specialty roles, emphasizing knowledge management through EBP and quality improvement (QI). It enables students to rethink traditional approaches using the Mountain Model, a structured framework that guides EBP and QI initiatives toward evidence-based QI for effective dissemination across various nursing roles. Through practical strategies and real-world examples, the book illustrates how EBP and QI are not just clinical tools but also leadership pathways. It empowers nurses to lead change, foster innovation, and share outcomes that advance practice and improve patient care.”
Nursing Research Category:
“This first-edition text provides a vital resource for EBP and QI initiatives. Well suited for graduate students, it utilizes a competency-based approach aligned with the AACN Essentials. In addition, it emphasizes the role of advanced practice nurses in leading EBP and QI initiatives. To support the application of research into practice, two chapters guide readers in leading critical appraisal of quantitative and qualitative evidence. Each chapter includes multiple exemplars and graphics to support learning. A unique chapter on including patient perspectives in quality care emphasizes the importance of incorporating patient preference into EBP. Finally, the text engages the reader to think about dissemination through media, advocacy, and professional organizations.”
Health Policy: Assessment and Analysis in a Changing Landscape edited by Meng Zhao and Julie Hoff was awarded third place in the History and Public Policy category.
The AJN judging panel shared the following comments about the text:
“This book provides a framework for understanding what health policy is and why it is important. Each chapter builds upon the others, beginning with basic descriptions of key U.S. governance structures and moving on to health care legislation versus regulations; leadership principles for advancing policy; and assessment, gap analysis, and planning for interventions. While this might sound dry and esoteric, real-life examples of both successful and failed policies help the reader understand the significance of health policy and the nurse’s role in creating policies with positive impact. Chapters include key terms, learning objectives, key concepts, and assignments and discussion board questions—very useful for faculty developing curriculum.”
Read about all the textbooks that received AJN Book of the Year Awards: https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/fulltext/2026/01000/book_of_the_year_awards_2025.33.aspx
Learn more about Cognella’s award-winning titles: https://cognella.com/award-winning-titles/
About Cognella®
Cognella® is redefining academic publishing by creating teacher-driven, student-centric higher education course materials in print and digital formats under three imprints: Cognella® Academic Publishing, Cognella® Custom, and Cognella® Active Learning. Cognella also publishes engaging nonfiction titles featuring modern perspectives as Cognella® Press. Learn more at www.cognella.com.
About the American Journal of Nursing
The American Journal of Nursing is the oldest and most honored broad-based nursing journal in the world. Peer-reviewed and evidence-based, it is considered the profession’s premier journal.
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