Adult nurses can be found working with adults of all ages across health and care settings from hospital awards, outpatient units, patients’ homes, general practice and clinics.

Open to registered nurses working in adult services. This award aims to recognise those who have succeeded in raising standards of care for their patients and service users and have made an outstanding contribution to the care of adults.  

A registered adult nurse working in a clinical role or managing clinical services within adult services in Scotland.

The nominee should clearly demonstrate:

• a commitment to person-centred care, innovation and delivering high quality services that make a difference to the people receiving care
• the positive impact of their work for patients, clients, families and colleagues
• the use of a credible evidence base and or developing an evidence base to underpin the work for which they are being nominated
• how their work contributes to the delivery of local and national policy and strategy within health and social care.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the awards, please get in touch by emailing scotlandnurseawards@rcn.org.uk

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Cardiology Specialist Nurse, NHS Orkney

Described as an exceptional cardiac nurse specialist, Amanda provides vital care to the rural community of Orkney. Working largely alone, without an on-site cardiologist or physiologist, she takes on an extensive range of responsibilities, including cardiac rehabilitation, chest pain assessment, and rhythm management. She also conducts ECG analysis and cardiac exercise testing - roles typically handled by specialists. As a native Orcadian, Amanda understands her patients’ needs and acts as a crucial link between them and distant consultants, facilitating visiting consultants work, making their trips effective and ensuring continued support for patients in Orkney. Her dedication and expertise have helped expand local cardiac services, including implantable ECG monitoring and cardiac CT. Her commitment, skill, and compassion make her the heart of cardiac care in Orkney, significantly improving patient outcomes in this remote community.

Ear, Nose, and Throat Emergency Nurse Practitioner, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Described as an exceptional Emergency Nurse Practitioner on Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Ward, 11b at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, Kirstie provides high-quality, patient-centered emergency care. Treating 4,500 patients last year, she significantly reduced the burden on busy Emergency Departments. By managing conditions such as epistaxis and severe tonsillitis, she has enabled many patients to be treated and discharged without hospital admission, improving patient flow and resource efficiency. Beyond patient care, Kirstie is a key figure in training and supporting junior doctors and nurses, consistently praised for her outstanding teaching. She has also contributed to the development of ENT nurse practitioner roles, working with Glasgow Caledonian University to enhance training modules. Highly respected by medical and nursing staff alike, Kirstie delivers compassionate and effective care while playing a crucial role in education and service development.

Delirium Nurse, University Hospital Crosshouse, NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Instrumental in innovating local delirium care, Morna is praised for demonstrating unwavering commitment to supporting patients and their families. Over the past two years, she has expanded and tailored the local dementia service to enhance early recognition and recovery from delirium. Her expertise and further academic training have strengthened the service’s impact, aligning with national delirium policies, and ageing and frailty standards. She leads the nurse-led Delirium Follow-Up Service in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, which has significantly increased referrals—by over 50%—with more than 70% of patients benefiting from direct support or onward referral to services such as social work, dementia advisors, and falls prevention. Her work is widely recognised by her peers, who praise the service’s impact and support the need for its continued growth.

Senior Addiction Nurse
North East Alcohol and Drug Recovery Service, Glasgow

John, an inspirational figure in addiction services, has significantly contributed to improving and expanding services, particularly in alcohol and opiate replacement treatments. He enthusiastically embraced the introduction of Buvidal, a novel treatment, and played a pivotal role in disseminating information and support to clients, families, and other stakeholders. The number of clients utilising Buvidal has grown substantially under his guidance, with regular clinics now serving over 440 individuals. By advocating for informed decision-making, John has empowered clients to pursue personal growth and development, leading to tangible benefits such as increased employment, education and community integration. Despite initial challenges, interventions like psychosocial support have helped overcome barriers, resulting in clients reporting improvements in various aspects of their lives, including physical and mental health. John's exemplary professionalism and the success of Buvidal has garnered interest from GP surgeries and pharmacies, with potential expansions into shared care services and ongoing pilot programmes.

Clinical Nurse Manager, Raigmore Hospital, NHS Highland

Described by her colleagues as energetic, inspirational and ‘one of the best nurses I’ve ever worked with’, at the time of nominations, Amy led the respiratory ward at Raigmore Hospital before recently becoming Assistant Divisional Nurse Manager. Amy elevates those around her to do their best and is noted to have been instrumental in the development of the future nursing workforce in NHS Highland. She prides herself on leading by example, setting evidence-based standards to ensure care is driven by what matters to the patient and their families. Amy led the way in developing a partnership with Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland which meant that readmissions dropped from 20% to 8% benefitting both patients and the ward. Amy meets the challenge of caring across a wide geography head on, liaising directly with GP’s to ensure equality of access. In her new role, Amy newest challenge was developing an infectious disease specialist team, appointing and nurturing staff to do what’s best for patients. With attracting people to the profession difficult in the current climate, Amy is determined to inspire new students and to encourage people to return to nursing.