Specialist Nursing Award

Nominations for this award are closed and will re-open in Spring 2025.

Nurses undertaking Advanced and Specialist practice can be found in all areas of clinical practice. These roles are typified using specialist clinical skills and can include leading, organising and delivering complex care across multi-professions and services.

About the award: This award aims to recognise nurses undertaking advanced and specialist practice who make an outstanding contribution to patient care, including the introduction of changes that lead to innovative programmes of care.

For this award, advanced and specialist are as defined in the Framework for Advanced Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Practice in Wales or in the case of the former, credentialed by the Royal College of Nursing 

Who can be nominated?

Nurses registered on all parts of the NMC register who are:

• Working at an advanced or specialist level in a clinical role within Wales, supported by post graduate qualification/s commensurate to the scope of practice 
• Practising in any sector for example: Independent Health and Social Care Sector, Third Sector, NHS or Local Authority
• Diversity in nominees is encouraged to reflect the workforce in Wales
  
   

Criteria

• Able to demonstrate that their work is commensurate with national policy and strategy within health and social care
• Through effective leadership is able to demonstrate a positive contribution to an innovative development that has made a difference to people receiving care
• Use of a credible evidence-base and / or are developing an evidence base to under pin their work for the project for which they are being nominated
• Able to demonstrate a safe governance framework for the service or innovation being described for which they are being nominated
• Able to clearly demonstrate the benefits the work has had for patients, clients, families and colleagues
• Through service evaluation, patient involvement and / or other means, is able to demonstrate a positive impact
• Show commitment to and passion for the nursing profession, going the “extra mile” demonstrating a “can do” positive attitude

What makes a winning entry? - top tips to make you nomination stand out from the crowd!

Please read the nomination guidance note before beginning your submission. We have also created some examples of excellent nominations to give you an understanding of the detail needed to make your nomination shine. You can also watch our guidance video 'Writing the perfect nomination for RCN Wales Nurse of the Year' for some top tips for making sure your nomination wows the judging panel.

Please remember to follow these key points:

• Tell us why you are nominating this person. A minimum of 300 words will be requested to explain your nomination, up to a 500-word limit for your submission. The more detailed you are the better so make full use of the word count given to you!
• Start with their success: What’s the headline? What are you proud of? Start with the attention-grabbing success to hook the judges immediately 
• When writing your 500 words, please refer to the award criteria for the category you are nominating for and hit each point mentioned by providing solid evidence. that way, you’ll increase your chances of your nomination being shortlisted!
• Please tell us specifically how your nominee has gone over and above the requirements of their role, and/or how they have made significant contributions to their field of work.
• Lastly but not least, check your spelling and grammar! Professionalism and care are equally as important in your nominations! Spell out any acronyms to be as clear to the judges as possible, don’t make any assumptions that they know what you’re talking about!

We also encourage patient nominations; we want to hear about how your experience of excellent nursing care has touched your lives. This could be yourself, a family member or someone who is making a difference in your local community!  Contact RCN Wales if you would like help in choosing a category to nominate. NurseoftheYearAwards@rcn.org.uk

Diversity in nominees is encouraged to reflect the workforce in Wales across all areas of nursing; Independent Health and Social Care Sector, Third Sector, NHS, or Local Authority.