Nominations for Awards of Merit
What is the Award of Merit?
The Award of Merit is the highest honour the College bestows for service. Each year they are given out at a special ceremony at RCN Congress to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the RCN far beyond the important contribution made by every activist to the work of the College.
If you know someone who has dedicated their time and energy to the College, and has made an impact on their branch, workplace, forum or the RCN as a whole, we need you to let us know about them so that we can recognise their achievements. Please nominate them today.
Who can put forward nominations?
Any RCN member (except employees of the College), board, branch or national entity
The nominator will be asked to provide three referees from a range of backgrounds to demonstrate the impact of the nominees work.
A referee may only support one nomination in any single year. Referees may not be employees of the College.
The nominator will also be asked to state in what capacity they know the nominee. The nominator may submit only one nomination in any single year.
Who can be nominated?
Anyone who is considered to have made an exceptional service to the RCN. Current RCN staff are excluded.
Recipients do not have to be nurses. They must have acted in a voluntary capacity.
Posthumous nominations are not accepted by the Panel.
It is suggested that you do not make the nominee aware of the application. This will avoid disappointment should the nomination be unsuccessful.
What is an exceptional contribution?
An exceptional contribution can be made in a variety of ways. It is for the proposer to demonstrate how the nominee has made an exceptional contribution to the work of the RCN.
Considerations may include the level of involvement an individual has in the work of the RCN, the nature, time span and consistency of that work and the impact it has on the RCN and its work.
How can I nominate someone?
Nominations for the RCN Awards are open all year round. When you submit a nomination, it will be considered at the next Awards Panel meeting. To submit a nomination, complete an online application form, or download and return a Word nomination form (Word 34KB), or hard copy PDF nomination form (PDF 184KB).
You will need three other people to support a nomination. They do not have to be RCN members but again must not be RCN staff. It is recommended that they come from a range of backgrounds so as to demonstrate the reach of the nominee’s work. Each must submit a testimonial showing why they think the individual has made an exceptional contribution to the RCN.
What should I write on the nomination form?
The nominator and supporters are asked to write testimonials about the nominee and submit these with the form. These should show how the nominee has made an exceptional contribution to the RCN. How have they supported members? What innovations have they introduced? How have they inspired you? Download our How to write a successful supporting statement presentation (PDF 105KB) for useful information.
You also need to submit contact details and brief details of the nominee’s history within the RCN. We understand that it is hard to find out details about another person – especially while keeping it a secret – so just put as much information as you can. We can, for example, find the person’s RCN membership number for you!
If you need help or advice with completing the form, please contact the RCN governance team on governance.support@rcn.org.uk or 020 7647 3640.