New award rewards compassion

Published: 23 October 2012

For the first time, nursing staff who show exceptional compassion can be nominated by their colleagues or members of the public for a very special award.

Launched this year, the Florence Nightingale Foundation Chairman’s Award for Compassionate Nursing Care is one of several new awards that form part of the prestigious Nursing Standard Nurse Awards 2013.
 
Jean Gray, Nursing Standard Editor in Chief, said: “Our annual awards celebrate all that is excellent in nursing today. They provide a unique opportunity to highlight and celebrate the innovative practice of nursing professionals who are making a real difference to patient care.”

To nominate someone for this new award, colleagues or members of the public must provide details of the nominee’s exceptional caring. Submissions should emphasise how the nominee treated those in their care – maintaining dignity, and showing warmth, sensitivity and respect.

This year, the awards feature 14 categories that cover all aspects of nursing care, ranging from mental health to defence nursing, and health care assistant to ward sister.

Category winners each receive £500, with prizes presented at a ceremony held at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum on 12 March 2013. One of the finalists will be chosen to become the Nursing Standard Nurse of the Year 2013 and win £1,000.

Other categories launching this year include the below.

• eHealth Award –  for those who have implemented new technologies that have improved care.
• Bank Nurses Award – which recognises the increasing contribution bank nurses make to delivering high quality care.
• Innovations in Neurology Award – for nursing staff working within this field, whether in the NHS or independent sector.

Inspired to enter this year’s Nurse Awards or nominate a colleague? For more details visit Nursing Standard.

The closing date for entries is Wednesday 31 October 2012.

Nursing Standard is produced by the RCN Publishing Company.