Time to fish out and dust down your glad rags, strike up the band, roll out the red carpet and prepare to walk down it: the annual BJN Awards for 2023 are (almost) upon us!
In celebration of the incredible nursing accomplishments that take place every day up and down the length and breadth of the country, we look forward to welcoming you on Friday 24 March 2023 at the Banking Hall in London to celebrate not just individuals, but teams who are working hard to give our patients the compassionate care they need in ever-stretched and ever-challenging times.
At a time of intense pressure in the workplace it's easy to get lost in emotionally charged negative media headlines, demand-driven daily pressures and the overarching pervasive gloom surrounding the NHS. We fail to see and acknowledge the reality of a workforce of health professionals across a multitude of disciplines and specialties who wake up and work their hardest to deliver exceptional care to patients, carers and their families every day. There are so many success stories, big and small, to celebrate.
The Awards are an opportunity to nominate, recognise and reward the achievements and progress that you're most proud of. If you, or a colleague, has achieved something special that has benefitted patient care or resulted in a positive change to an area of work, demonstrated an approach to delivering compassionate care using best practice or introduced or developed a creative idea that has been innovative and changed the way you practice at a local, regional or national level in a demonstrable way, we want to hear about it.
With this is mind, I'd encourage you all to take a moment to reflect on all the good that takes place around you, and because of your work, and take the time to nominate and enter submissions for national recognition through the online portal (www.bjnawards.co.uk). Entries can be completed from now until Friday 16 December 2022 and can be completed piecemeal so you can take time to think of the words with which to praise yourselves, individuals, teams or societies that you feel at any time over the past few years have furthered knowledge, improved patient experiences, or outcomes for them, their carers or a service area.
An expanded range of 19 categories across the board are up for nomination, to include nurses working in the following areas:
- Cardiovascular
- Chronic oedema
- Continence
- Gastrointestinal/IBD
- Hepatology
- Infection prevention
- Mental health
- Nutrition
- Oncology
- Public health
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Rheumatology
- Stoma care
- Urology
- Vascular access
- Wound care.
There is also an Innovation Award for innovation in nurse-led care in any specialty, as well as the coveted Nurse of the Year Award for the individual who stands out as truly exceptional in their field. Nominations are not limited to inpatient care and include those working in primary and community settings.
Nominations can be submitted through an easy-to-navigate webpage (I know because I've tried it) after creating a quick personal log-in. Each nomination consists of four category-specific questions with 125-word answers. Supporting evidence/documents can also be uploaded. You can enter multiple nominations across any of the available categories.
Nominations are judged by a panel of reviewers and merit is given on suitability to the category entered, evidence of novelty/original thinking, significant impact or benefit to the area or patients, and supporting evidence. Up to three items of supporting evidence can be included with each nomination and can include qualifications, testimonials or references.
Is there work that you or your colleagues do that showcases nursing excellence? Is there something that takes place in your work that highlights the critical contribution nurses make to healthcare? Are you doing something that makes nursing innovative, patient-focused and inclusive? This is an opportunity to gain the recognition that your hard work and dedication richly deserves.
Winning an award is more than another line on your CV, it is an opportunity to raise awareness of your work and your professional profile, increasing your visibility and gaining national validation of what you have achieved.
Come and join us for a fantastic evening and celebrate yourselves, your friends and colleagues.
Don't delay – remember the closing date for nominations is Friday 16 December 2022!