2023 annual Award of Excellence in Nursing: call for nominations
Celebrating the dedication, initiative and distinction of nurses who are helping to improve the health of First Nations and Inuit in Canada.
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The 2023 Award of Excellence in Nursing call for nominations is now closed.
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About the award
This award was presented to 3 exceptional nurses who provide care to First Nations and/or Inuit clients. Nominees will have demonstrated that they are committed to excellence in professional nursing practices serving First Nations and Inuit communities in Canada by:
- consistently delivering excellent nursing services to First Nations and Inuit individuals, organisations and communities
- providing and/or creating culturally appropriate environments to support health and healing
- advocacy work that ensures access to care, mobilization of resources, addresses health inequities and influences policy and system change
- embracing the invitation to participate in community events and engagement with community members
The Award of Excellence in Nursing were presented to 3 recipients during a ceremony held in Ottawa on Monday, June 19, 2023, during National Indigenous History Month. Travel and accommodation expenses for each of the recipients were provided by FNIHB to attend the award ceremony. All travel were in accordance with the Treasury Board Directive on Travel.
Who is eligible
The award is open to all registered nurses, nurse practitioners and registered or licensed practical nurses who:
- have worked a minimum of 2 years in a First Nations or Inuit community
- who are currently employed by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, a First Nations employer (including First Nations communities in the Northwest and Yukon Territories), or working in an Inuit community (including all Inuit Land Claim Organizations)
- work as frontline nurses
- have not previously won the award
- are in good standing with their professional organization
Deadline
The 2023 Award of Excellence in Nursing call for nominations is now closed.
All nominators and nominees were notified in April 2023 of the results. We wish to thank everyone involved in the nomination process for taking the time to nominate an outstanding nurse providing direct front-line care in a First Nations or Inuit community.
How to make a nomination
Nominated candidates will be assessed in 3 areas:
- excellence in people skills
- dedication to leadership, learning, and professional development
- fostering reconciliation
The members of the Nursing Award Advisory/Selection Committee will base their evaluations on specific criteria within anonymized nomination packages. Please review the criteria below and within your nomination assessment form, describe specific examples of how the nominee fulfills them.
The nominator must complete the nomination form (if an issue occurs with the link, open with Adobe) summarizing why the nominee should receive this award. Clearly legible, hand-written documentation will also be accepted.
The selection committee will evaluate the candidates based on the following mandatory criteria and optional documents. Please complete the form accordingly.
Excellence in people skills (all 4 criteria):
- delivers nursing care with integrity and compassion
- builds effective relationships with clients, families and community members
- active involvement in the community (for example, partnership with community members, allied health professionals or health leads)
- demonstrates an ability to unite team members to achieve team and community goals
Dedication to leadership, learning, professional development and cultural competency (all 5 criteria):
- demonstrates leadership and embraces changing environments
- proactively coaches or mentors nursing students and other nurses or staff
- acts as a role model to inspire others to achieve results and obtain goals
- demonstrates a commitment to life-long learning by continuing to study beyond levels required for their position
- demonstrates flexibility/adaptability to the changing needs of the community (such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Fostering Reconciliation (1 Criteria):
- Effects change within the Canadian health-care system that establishes and maintains a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in this country.
- See Appendix I of the nomination form for more information.
Mandatory documents for a complete nomination package submission
- Candidate or nominee's current resume
- Completed and signed nomination form (if an issue occurs with the link, open with Adobe) by the nominator as well as signed by the candidate/nominee (handwritten or digital signature option available)
Optional documents
- Letters of reference or support. These letters should include the following information:
- who you are (your name, title and organization if any)
- your connection with the person you are recommending and the dates in which you knew the nominee
- the specific skills they have (referencing the merit criteria listed above)
- a signature and the date the letter was written
The letters of reference or support would be strengthened by referencing the merit criteria as outlined above. They can be provided by, as an example, a supervisor, manager, colleague, community member or leadership, client.
Incomplete nomination packages will not be considered. Please include candidate or nominees full name, title and organization on all documentation.
Nominees will be evaluated by a selection committee only on the information provided within the nomination package.
Nominations packages can be submitted by:
- Email: nursingawards-prixensoinsinfirmiers@sac-isc.gc.ca
- Mail: If you wish to submit a nomination package by mail, please contact us at the email below for details.