The Board of Nursing Archives Associates at Boston University’s Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center has honored Betty Long, the founder and CEO of Flourtown-based Guardian Nurses Healthcare Advocates, with the annual Mary Ann Garrigan Award.

The prestigious award “honors individuals with outstanding professional achievements in nursing and others who have made substantial contributions to or in support of the nursing profession.”

The award is named for the founder of the Nursing Archives at Boston University.

Selection criteria include: “Leadership (as may be demonstrated by vision, innovation, creativity, dedication to the profession in work settings, professional organizations, through publications, presentations) and Practice (as may be demonstrated by contributions to clinical practice, advancements in practice).”

Long was nominated for the award by a previous recipient, Kathleen Bower.

“Guardian Nurses, under Betty’s leadership, provides theory-based, clinically competent, and holistic care to its patients and others to the benefit of individuals as well as the union finances and member engagement,” Bower wrote in her nomination letter. “As an innovator, Betty identified a patient/family need and created a unique approach to meeting it. As an entrepreneur, Betty has established a nurse-run business that produces exceptional patient outcomes as well as manages healthcare costs for patients and the unions to which they belong. Guardian Nurses supports nurses practicing at the peak of their license, using deep clinical knowledge and skills, expert problem-solving, tenacity in problem-solving on behalf of patients, and more.”

Learn more about Guardian Nurses, a high-touch nurse advocacy company serving thousands of patients across the United States.